Adjustment
by Michael J.J
Summary: Even though the Earth is safe from the Disasteroid, Danny still has a lot on his plate, like his exposed secret, his relationship with Sam, and some bitter enemies out for revenge.
1. Safety

A/N: Well, here we are. My first long Danny Phantom fanfiction, and a chance to set things up for a future fic.

Before I begin, note a few things. First off, since Danny has had two summer vacations (Reality Trip and Claw of the Wild) I'm assuming he, Sam, and Tucker are now sixteen.

Second, this takes place after Epiphany, meaning Danny now considers Danielle his little sister instead of his cousin.

And finally, I wasn't sure what the names of the Guys in White agents were. A fan site claimed they were called Operatives O and K, so I'm going with that. If you know something different, let me know.

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom and all related characters copyright Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon, Viacom, and Billionfold Studios.

* * *

No one could believe it. Absolutely no one could believe it. 

For most, it was the mere fact that their savior, the greatest hero the world had ever known, was in reality a sixteen-year-old boy.

But for those that knew him, the shock was greater. Wimpy, shy, and klutzy Danny Fenton was, in fact, Danny Phantom, protector of Amity Park and savior of the entire planet.

For a few moments, everyone just gaped. Danny felt his stomach tie itself in a knot. Had he made the wrong move revealing who he was?

Fortunately, those worries evaporated when everyone began cheering. The young halfa scanned the crowd. His parents were staring at him proudly. The technicians were cheering as well. The reporters were videotaping the whole thing, ensuring that all the world saw. And Valerie…yes, she was cheering as well!

Danny smiled. It was all over. No more Disasteroid about to smash the Earth. No more Vlad making his life miserable. No more Valerie trying to hunt him down.

And no more Guys in White, period.

He had been assured of that piece of mind days earlier.

* * *

_A mere two hours after announcing his plan to save the Earth, Danny Phantom was standing in the White House. The President had arranged to meet with him to discuss the building of his device, as well as talk of a possible peace settlement between humans and ghosts._

_He was escorted by to Secret Service agents to the Oval Office. Upon entering he found President Hartman sitting behind his desk, along with his least favorite government agents, Operatives O and K of the Guys in White._

"_Ah, Mr. Phantom, it's a pleasure to meet you," Hartman said rising from his seat and walking toward the ghost boy to shake his hand. Phantom returned the handshake, grateful to finally be on speaking terms with the government._

"_I believe you've already met Operatives O and K," the President continued, motioning over to the two agents who were giving him glares he could feel through their sunglasses._

_Danny returned their gaze. "Oh, we've met," he said, trying not to sound bitter._

_At that point, O spoke up. "Mr. President, you can't be serious about trusting the fate of the world to this…this ghost, are you?"_

"_Yes I am," Hartman answered plainly. "We have no reason not to."_

"_No reason?" O asked incredulously, both him and his partner gaping. "He's a ghost, that's a reason!"_

"_I object to that!" Phantom spoke up. "What does me being a ghost have to do with anything?"_

"_Because you and your kind are scum!" K answered. "You're all evil and reckless! Look at all the damage ghosts have caused!"_

"_That's enough," Hartman said. "I don't want to hear another word from you two!"_

"_Um, Mr. President, if I may speak on my behalf?" the halfa piped up._

"_Oh, yes, of course Mr. Phantom," Hartman replied._

"_Thank you," the teen ghost answered before turning to his two long time enemies. "First off, yes, ghosts have caused a lot of damage, but so have a lot of humans. Hell, Hitler did more damage than any ghost, except maybe Pariah Dark, has ever done in either Earth or the Ghost Zone. The only reason there aren't more peaceful ghosts on Earth is because most of them with business here are ones that are evil, which is why I do what I do._

"_Secondly, neither you nor any other ghost hunting team had had a ghost captive long enough to really study it, so any theories are just that: theories. To my understanding, the only sentient ghost you've held successfully was Lydia, and you were stupid enough to let Freakshow bust her out. Trying to destroy all ghosts based on your own prejudices was more evil than anything I've ever done was._

"_And finally, you guys are more reckless than most ghosts I've met. You don't care who you have to injure or what you have to destroy to get what you want. Plus, you're the idiots who tried to destroy the Ghost Zone, after all."_

"_Wait, they did what?" Hartman asked angrily. Danny noticed the agents' faces pale slightly._

"_Well, when they bought FentonWorks they tried to launch a missile that would destroy the Ghost Zone…"_

"_You idiots!" Hartman yelled, glaring at the two operatives. "I strictly forbade that operation! We didn't have enough proof that all ghosts were evil to do it, and we didn't know if it would have a negative impact on Earth!"_

"_Wait, are you telling me they were acting without your authority?" Phantom asked, his face giving an expression that suggested Christmas had come early._

"_That's right, I terribly apologize," the President answered, looking apologetic._

"_Oh, then you're going to love this. If they had succeeded, they would have destroyed Earth as well."_

"_What?" all three government employees yelled._

"_That's right, Earth and the Ghost Zone are connected, like two sides of the same coin. If one goes, the other falls with it."_

_The look the Guys in White received from their employer froze their blood. "That's it! This is the final straw! I've put up with you're incompetence long enough! You never catch any ghosts, you let that lunatic Showenhower escape with the Reality Gauntlet, and now this! I've had enough! The Guys in White are through!"_

"_What?" the former operatives yelled. Phantom looked ready to cheer._

"_I'm going to call a session of Congress. I'm going to get the Ecto-Control Act lifted, and I'm going to get our ghost hunting branch replaced with a new one that's less incompetent!"_

"_Sir, this ghost scum is lying!" O protested. "There is no connection between our worlds."_

"_How do you think I'm going to get so many ghosts to help so fast?" the ghost in question asked. "True, there are plenty that would help as a peace offering, but many tend to dislike Earth because of people like you two! A ghost can't even come here without being shot at!"_

"_And I'm going to fix that," Harman assured, pressing a button on his desk. Two Secret Service agents walked in. "Arrest these two and take them to holding."_

_O and K didn't take that too well. In fact, they responded by removing their ecto-guns and shooting at their enemy._

_Phantom had been expecting this, however. He not only dodged, but also split himself in two, much to everyone's amazement. With two well-aimed ecto-blasts, O and K's weapons were reduced to scrap metal. The twin ghosts then tackled the two former government agents to the ground, pinning them._

_The ghost boys turned to the two agents, who were watching in shocked amazement. "What are you waiting for, cuff them!" thew both demanded._

_The two agents snapped out of their shock and did so. Phantom called his clone back, and the former Guys in White were dragged off, futilely resisting arrest._

"_I apologize for them," Hartman said sincerely._

"_No need, Mr. President," Phantom nodded, "they were acting without your consent. I'm just happy ghosts are being given a chance now."_

"_Yes, since you're saving the world maybe I can get those idiots in congress to listen. I've been trying to get them to slow down for a while now."_

"_Well, I know there are many governments in the Ghost Zone who want a peaceful resolution to all this."_

"_Yes, my cabinet will be here shortly to discuss that. Tell me, what governments are present in the Ghost Zone?"_

"_Well, the highest ranking government is the Observants. They're a council of beings that can see into the future. They view time to stop any major problems before they start, but they never get involved themselves. They call in a ghost named Clockwork to do their dirty work. Clockwork can actually control time, but he rarely does what the Observants ask. Instead of killing someone that would cause problems, he gives them a second chance first. I happen to work for him."_

"_Oh, he sent you to defend Amity Park?"_

"_No, I did that on my own. I met him through circumstances I don't like to talk about, and since then he sometimes calls me in to handle something for him."_

"_I see. Are they looking to negotiate?"_

"_I doubt it. Like I said, they rarely get involved actually doing anything. They'll probably think it's a waste of time._

"_But there are several countries in the Ghost Zone that would be willing. I'm pretty chummy with three of them: the Kingdom of Aragon, the Far Frozen, and the Mythological Zone._

"_Aragon is a kingdom previously ruled over by a cruel prince until he was overthrown. That same prince made sure that the kingdom remained in the Middle Ages. The new ruler, Princess Dora, is a good friend of mine. She's really nice, and would love to talk peacefully._

"_The Far Frozen is an arctic area inhabited by a race of yeti like ghosts. You see, contrary to popular belief, not all ghosts were living once. Some are merely creatures made of ectoplasm, like these guys. Their leader, Frostbite, taught me how to master my cryokinesis abilities. Next to Clockwork, he's my best mentor._

"_The Mythological Zone is an area of the Ghost Zone they was pulled out of ancient Greece. Several ghosts there resemble creatures thought to be imaginary, like Cyclops and gorgons. Their leader is Pandora. She guards a box where she trapped several great evils thousands of years ago. She had a quick temper, but once you get past that she's nice._

"_These three kingdoms will answer our call for help without hesitation, and they'll be willing to give peaceful negotiations a try."_

"_Excellent. Once this mess is over we'll begin working with them toward a peaceful connection."  
_

"_I'm looking forward to that. Now, there is one area of the Ghost Zone that's very chaotic. It's just called the Wasteland by its inhabitants. It's where many of my enemies live. The only law enforcement here comes from a ghost named Walker, but he's very corrupt. He arrests people for rules he makes up on the spot. He's the one that framed me for kidnapping the mayor of Amity Park. He's gotten so dangerous that the other nations of the Ghost Zone have begun plans to remove him from power."_

"_Tell them they'll have the full support of our government."_

"_I will. Trust me, I'm glad we can finally coexist with humans. For the first time since I died, things are looking good."_

"_Glad to hear it. By the way, is there any etiquette that the ghosts are going to expect?"_

"_Just one: never ask a ghost how it died or any questions about its life. Every ghost has a reason for not crossing over into the actual afterlife, and it's considered an insult to ask."_

"_Very well, I shall keep that in mind," Hartman said, walking over to a champagne bottle and uncorking it. "Do ghosts eat and drink?" he asked, pouring a glass._

"_Yeah, we do. Don't really need to, but old habits die hard."_

_The President nodded, pouring another glass. "Well then, let's have a toast," he said, offering Phantom glass, which he took. "Here's to the future!"_

"To the future."

* * *

Most of the ghosts had gone home, but a few stayed behind. Dora, Frostbite, and Pandora were there, along with their people, obviously eager to begin the negotiations between them and the human world. 

Reporters began to swarm over Danny, but several government agents stopped them.

"That's enough," one of them ordered. "Mr. Fenton will be given the rest of the day to spend with his family. He will answer your questions at a later date." He then turned to Danny. "Take your friends and go home. We'll keep the press away for now."

Danny smiled. "Thank you," he replied, then joined his parents and sister, who pulled him into a four-way hug. Moments later, he was joined by his best friend and girlfriend (or, at least, he assumed she was his girlfriend now) who hugged him as well.

"Way to go, Danny," Tucker commented. "You've literally saved the world. What are you going to do now?"

"I'm going…to bed." Danny answered, walking toward the Fenton Jet (not the same one Danny flew into the Ghost Zone, obviously). "Let's go home. I don't know about you guys, but I could use some rest."

"But Danny, we have a lot of questions for you," Maddie said.

"I know. I'll tell you on the way home."

His mother nodded and began walking toward their transportation home. Just as the ghost boy reached the jet's entryway, a voice interrupted him.

"Mr. Fenton," an agent called, causing the hybrid to turn around. "A ghost girl is demanding to see you. She claims to be your sister."

Danny's eyes went wide at that. "Let her through," he instructed, ignoring his parents' puzzled expression.

Seconds later, a black and white blur shot out of the crowd and struck Danny in the chest, sending him into the snow. When he regained his senses, he saw his clone and surrogate sister Danielle Phantom hugging him as tight as ghostly possible. After returning the hug, he looked up at his parents' still puzzled expressions.

"Uh, is there room for one more back home?"

* * *

After entering the Fenton Jet, Maddie turned the Auto-Jack on and instructed it to fly back to Amity Park. Then, the vehicle's seven occupants sat down, and Jack and Maddie asked the obvious question: who was the young ghost girl? 

So, Danny told them the whole story. How Vlad's cloning attempts spawned Danielle, how he eventually betrayed the one he claimed to love as a daughter, how he later attempted to melt her down, and how Danny accepted her as his sister. Once the story was done, Maddie had only one thing to say:

"You poor thing," she cried, pulling the young clone into a hug. "I still can't believe Vlad would do these things."

"Oh, believe it, Mom, we haven't even scratched the surface of what Vlad's done," Danny commented.

"I believe it," Jack said. "Now I'm only more convinced I did the right thing leaving Vlad in space."

"You have nothing but my support in that," Danny said.

"Mine too," Danielle commented. "Vlad was a creep."

"Yes, well, you don't have to worry about him anymore," Maddie said gently, holding the girl closer. "Like Danny said, you can come move in with us now."

"And, speaking of which, we're actually home," Jazz commented, pointing out the window. Indeed, the jet had already brought them to Amity Park.

"Sam, Tucker, we'll drop you off at home," Maddie informed. "You should probably spend some time with your families as well."

Neither teen argued. After a week of not being sure it they would live to see their next birthdays, it would be nice to reconnect with their families.

Still, something was troubling Danny and Sam. Just before he left to round up the ghosts, the two life long friends had shared their first real kiss. It had been the most perfect moment of their lives, and they desperately wanted to talk about it but…not here, in a crowded ship. It had to be a private conversation.

"Okay, Sam, we're at your house, and…" Maddie trailed off, and a second later, Sam saw why.

Both her parents were waiting for her at the door, wearing the hardest glares the Goth girl had ever seen them put on.

"Sam," Mr. Manson said bluntly, "we need to talk."

Sam really didn't like where this was going.

* * *

"As everyone knows, just mere hours ago Danny Phantom's plans succeeded, and the earth was saved. Then, he revealed himself to be a half-human hybrid like his longtime enemy, Vlad Plasmius. His human identity is none other than sixteen-year-old Danny Fenton of Amity Park, Oregon, son of world renowned ghost hunters Jack and Maddie Fenton. 

"Already, Phantom is expected to receive a Medal of Honor from President Hartman, and the Queen of England has announced plans to grant him knighthood.

"In addition, peace negotiations between the Earth and the Ghost Zone are to begin shortly. We have reports that three nations of the Ghost Zone will be joining the United Nations, with more to follow. Hopefully, we can look forward to a world where humans and ghosts live side by side."

The rest of the reporter's words were cut off by a remote control crashing into the television screen.

On the couch in front of it, the former Operatives O and K fumed.

"I don't believe it," O spat. "We've served the country loyally, and some half human freak gets the rewards?"

"And we're going to have to live side by side with these creatures?" K continued. "It's enough to make my skin crawl. We have to stop this."

"How? We don't have weapon anymore."

"Leave that to me. We'll wipe that freak of the face of the Earth, and stop those creatures before they can do any damage."


	2. Family

A/N: Okay, I officially like writing for Danny Phantom. Why? Because the fans here leave reviews! Yay!

On another not, I'd like to thank Amras Felagund for being my beta for this. I owe him one.

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom and all related characters copyright Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon, Viacom, and Billionfold Studios.

* * *

"What were you thinking?" both Manson parents cried in unison as their daughter retained her defiant look. Ida, Sam's grandmother, sat quietly in the corner, watching the scene.

"All those times you went out ghost hunting," Pamela scolded, "You could have been killed! What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking I'd be there for my best friend," Sam snapped back.

"You didn't have to listen to that boy. You could have said no whenever he told you to come."

"He never asked me. In fact, he tried to convince me not to come along at first."

Both parents looked surprised by this statement, but Ida looked like she had been expecting it.

"What are you talking about?" Jeremy demanded.

"When he first started ghost fighting, he tried to tell me and Tucker to stay where it was safe. We told him no, because we wanted to help him. Eventually, he gave up."

"…Well, that still doesn't excuse this," the blonde man said firmly. "You could have been killed."

"I know," Sam said bluntly. "I'm willing to take that risk for my friends."

"But are you so sure he would be willing to take that risk for you?" Pamela asked.

The goth stared at her mother like she had just asked if ice was made of water. "Uh, he risks his life everyday for complete strangers, even for people he hates. Yes, I'm sure he would do the same for me."

Pamela wanted to argue further, but found she couldn't. Sam had effectively countered that argument.

Jeremy, however, was still going. "Even so, I don't think you understand how much danger you could be in. I mean, have you ever really been hurt before from doing this?"

"Other than the occasional scrape, no," the Manson daughter answered honestly.

"So you may not understand just what you're risking. Tell me, what's the worst thing that almost happened to you?"

Sam thought back. "Well, Vlad once infected me with a deadly disease to make sure Danny found a cure for it."

Both her parents gasped at this. "But Danny saved me! He found the cure!"

"That's irrelevant!" Jeremy shouted. "You said it was deadly! Hanging around that boy has put you in danger!

"Don't blame Danny!" Sam shouted with even more conviction. "Blame Vlad. He was the reason I was infected. And I know I'm in trouble whenever I hang out with Danny him, but I don't care! I'm his friend, I'm supposed to be there for him! Besides, it's kind of my fault he's a ghost."

Now that tidbit truly shocked her parents. "What do you mean?" Pamela asked.

"I'm the one who dared him to do what he did that gave him his powers."

For a moment, there was silence.

"Sammy," her mother began, "you know that still doesn't put you under any obligation."

"I think it does. Because of me he was mercilessly hunted by the government just for being a ghost, had that psycho Vlad trying to corrupt him for the same reason, and had all that responsibility thrust on him. It's my fault that everything's happened to him. Besides, it comes back to what I said: Danny's my friend, and I'll always be there for him."

"…You really mean that?" Mr. Manson said at last.

"Of course I do," Sam answered stubbornly. "I'm still going to hang out with him, no matter what you say."

There was another silence.

"We'll think about it," Jeremy said at last.

"What do you mean you'll think about it?"

"I mean, we'll think about whether or not we'll allow this."

Sam opened her mouth to argue again, but stopped. Maybe she should allow this to simmer a bit before she argued any more. "Fine," she said shortly before heading up to her room.

* * *

Danny was silently thanking Tucker at the moment.

After dropping Sam off to her very angry looking parents, the ghost boy realized that his other best friend had spent the entire trip back on his PDA. When questioned about it, he told him he had sent requests to AOL and Yahoo to have his email and instant message screen names changed. When asked why he did this, Tucker reminded him that, as world savior, he'd probably be getting enough messages to freeze his computer just by logging on.

Danny admitted he had a point. Fortunately, the techno geek had also sent requests for a special filter to be made to filter out fan mail and messages. It was only after Danny got home that he realized what a service he had been given.

The phone was ringing when the family of five walked in the door. Maddie answered it, only to find a screaming fan on the other end of it. She hung up, only for it to ring again less than a second later. This time it was a marriage proposal from some girl named Paulina. 

This process repeated five more times before the matriarch of the Fenton family pulled the phone line out of the socket.

But the problems didn't stop there. Fans began pounding on the windows and doors, trying to get the savior of the world to come out. This lasted until the police placed a police line around FentonWorks. That meant that, finally, the Fenton family could concentrate on more important things.

Like eating.

And, with Danny, Danielle, and Jack occupying the same table, it was like a family of wolves descending upon the spoils of the hunt.

"Honestly, you three, you're going to eat us out of house and home," Maddie sighed. "And Danielle, get your elbows off the table!"

"Aw, but I got to eat this way in Aragon!"

"Yes, but they're still stuck in a time before manners were invented. We're more civilized here."

On the other side of the table, Danny couldn't help but smile. Danni was already part of the family. Just as he had hoped, his parents had taken to her immediately, like she was their own flesh and blood (which, technically, she was).

"So, Danny," Maddie said, turning her attention on her son, "why didn't you tell us about all this?" That question got Jack's attention as well, it was something that he had been wondering as well.

"Well, for the first few weeks after the portal was activated, all you ever talked about was how great it would be to finally catch a ghost and rip it apart. I was kind of afraid if you found out I'd be the first under the microscope."

"Honey, we'd never do that!" Maddie cried.

"She's right, son," Jack continued. "This whole thing has made us realize how irrational our hatred of ghosts was anyway."

"I know, I figured that out on my own. But by the time I realized that I also realized things were simpler without you knowing."

"What do you mean?" his mother asked.

"Well, I didn't want you dragged into the whole thing with Plasmius, and I didn't want you worrying about me. Plus, I was afraid you might try to come up with something to take my powers away or try and forbid me from ghost fighting."

"Danny, we don't want your powers gone. We're proud of you," his mother explained. "You've saved the world before you even got out of high school. We wouldn't change you for the world."

Danny gave a small smile. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear," he said, as both his parents pulled him into a three way hug. Then, once he broke off, Jazz spoke.

"So, Danny, I'm kind of curious. Why did you transform on live TV like that? As bad as the press was before, it'll only be worse now."

"Well, negotiations between humans and ghosts are starting up, and I figure they'll go smoother if I stop hiding things. You can't build trust by keeping secrets."

"Wow. When did you get so mature?"

"Comes with the territory. Speaking of which, I better go update my ghost files with everything that's happened in the last two weeks." With that, Danny headed upstairs to his computer.

"Huh. First he wants to get rid of his powers, now he's back to being a workaholic. Figures," Jazz muttered.

"We have work to do too," Maddie reminded everyone. "We need to get the portal fixed soon so the peaceful ghosts can get through again. Not to mention, as soon as the stores open again we need to go buy everything we need to take care of Danielle."

"What do you mean?" the clone in question asked, looking up from her meal.

"Well, we need to buy you some clothes. Of course, we're such pack rats we saved Jazz's entire old wardrobe, but we don't want you to only get hand-me-downs. You'll probably also want a computer, some games and toys, a few books. We'll take you shopping soon and let you pick what you want."

"Thanks, Mrs. Fenton."

"Danielle, if you want to live here, you better start calling me Mom."

"You…really mean that?"

"Danielle, if Danny already considers you family, that's good enough for us."

"That's right," Jack said, pulling the girl into a bear hug. "We're happy to have you here."

Tears began to leak from Danni's eyes despite her attempts to stop them. Finally, for the first time ever, she felt completely at home.

* * *

Sam laid on her bed, stewing. Why did her parents have to be such snobs? Why were they trying to pull her and Danny apart, especially now that they've finally been honest with each other?

Still, a small voice in the back of her mind told her not to be too mad. After all, any halfway decent parent would be distressed if their child headed off into danger on a regular basis. It was partly their obligation as parents that was causing this.

Still, that didn't make it any less infuriating. Why couldn't her parents understand how much her friends meant to her?

Her thoughts were cut off by a knock on the door. "Samantha, it's us," her mother's voice sounded.

Sam mentally groaned. "Come in."

Jeremy and Pamela entered, for once not criticizing their daughter's taste in décor. They sat on the edge of the bed she was still occupying.

"We've made our decision," Jeremy stated.

"And…" Sam asked nervously.

"Well…we want you to understand, we're always going to worry about you, just like any decent parent would. But…we'll allow you to keep seeing Daniel."

For a moment, Sam wasn't sure she heard her father correctly. Then, she spoke in a hopeful tone she usually used only around Danny and Tucker. "You really mean that?"

"Well, I can't say we're happy about it," Pamela said. "I mean, you could get killed! But, if you're doing it for the right reasons, I feel we have no right to stop you. That is, if you're really doing this to protect the town and help your friend, and not just to rebel."

"I swear, I'm doing it for Danny."

"If that's the case, then we're proud of you," her dad said.

Sam couldn't believe it. Her parents, who she always considered the biggest snobs she knew next to Paulina, were actually letting her see Danny. It was at that point she did something she hadn't done in a long time.

She hugged her parents, and they hugged back.

"Don't think this means we'll stop trying to get you to wear some decent clothes for a change," her mother added.

Despite herself, Sam gave a weary smile. It was always something.

* * *

_Ghost Fighting Log Entry: September 18__th__, 2006_

_I know I promised that my previous entry would be my final one, but I just couldn't stay out of the ghost fighting game for long. Since my last entry, a giant asteroid dubbed by the world as the Disasteroid was spotted heading toward Earth. Several attempts to stop it were made, all of them funded by Vlad, so they were all sabotaged by the billionaire himself. He then revealed himself to the world and demanded that the world leaders surrender their countries to him. Left with little other alternative, they agreed._

_Fortunately, Vlad picked now to get careless. When he went to turn the Disasteroid intangible, he discovered it was made of Ectoranium. My father, Jack Fenton, then left him floating in space, much to my approval._

_Immediately afterward, I formulated a new plan, to turn the Earth intangible. When the rest of Team Phantom and I entered the Ghost Zone to recruit some ghosts to help, we were ambushed by Skulker, the Behemoth, and several unknown ghosts. I sent my friends out through the Specter Speeder's escape pod, then took the full blasts of the ghost's attacks. The barrage backfired, however, and I regained my powers and used them to escape._

_We presented our idea to the people of earth, who eagerly approved. Tucker headed the construction team while I met with world leaders to discuss a possible truce between humans and ghosts. While there, I discovered the ecto-missile was unauthorized. Upon this revelation, President Hartman disbanded the Guys in White._

_Once the intangibility device was complete, I headed into the Ghost Zone again. This time, I managed to tell them that our worlds were linked, so they agreed to help me, but not before they destroyed the Fenton Jet I was using._

_Long story short, out plan worked. With the help of all my enemies, I saved the world. However, Skulker warned me our rivalry would continue._

_After most of the ghosts had left, my parents came up to me. They figured me out. After a moment's debate, I decided that revealing myself would be best for the future peace negotiations._

_Aragon, The Far Frozen, and the Mythological Realm are preparing to take seats in the UN. To add to the good news, my clone sister Danielle has officially joined the family. The future's looking bright. I only hope these arrangements go smoothly_

_-DF _

Danny reread the entry he had just written. It had been Tucker who had suggested he start keeping a journal early on in his ghost fighting career under the hope that one day he could make all this public. It looked like that day had finally come. Since it was intended for public viewing someday, he left out personal stuff when he could, and tried to sound as professional as possible.

He was cut off when his computer announced he had received an email…under his new address. Only Tucker would know it.

And indeed, it was from his best friend. He clicked the message.

_Danny,_

_Since you're currently unreachable, the government told me to tell you this._

_Tomorrow there will be a banquet held up at the capital to celebrate everything. You're the guest of honor. Black tie, seven o'clock sharp. See you there!_

Danny smiled, then went downstairs to tell his family the news.

* * *

The ghost hunter known has Vid trudged down the sidewalk to the apartment her and the rest of the former Masters' Blasters shared, ignoring the taunts being thrown at her.

It hadn't been a good couple of days for her.

They had been completely unaware of Vlad's plans. For crying out loud, they tried to shoot him when he revealed himself! Still, soon after Danny Phantom had come forward with his plans, they were arrested. After a quick background check, the government concluded they truly were not involved and released them, even letting them keep her gear.

Still, that did nothing to stop the public.

After all the good they had done, all anyone ever remembered them for was being the three idiots who chased Danny Phantom away and allowed Plasmius to nearly enslave the Earth. All history would remember them for was being Vlad's puppets, his pawns. Add to that the fact that, once Vlad was revealed, everyone realized just how arrogant the ghost-hunting trio was, their popularity took a nosedive. Everyone, it seemed, saw what jerks they were.

She silently gritted her teeth. She wanted to kill Vlad. She also wanted to kill Phantom. After he had told the world his plan, he had also given his opinion on Masters' Blasters. It was less than flattering, as he claimed they cared only for fame and not for anyone's safety.

Oh, how she wanted to kill the ghost boy.

That was the thought that ran through her mind as she entered her apartment.

However, it left as she saw something unexpected.

Her teammates, Thrash and Download, were sitting in the living room with a third person, dressed in a clean, white suit and sunglasses.

"Miss," Operative K stated, "I believe we can help each other out."


	3. Friends

A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long! I promise the next chapter will be up quicker!

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom and all related characters copyright Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon, Viacom, and Billionfold Studios.

* * *

Danielle snuggled into bed as her newfound mother pulled the covers over her. Once that was finished Maddie bent down and kissed her on the forehead.

"Good night, Danni," she said. "We have a big day tomorrow, so get some sleep."

"Um, Mom, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Um, well…" she said slowly, trying to find the right words, "do you think that this whole thing involving me is…weird?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the fact that I'm a clone of Danny. Doesn't that seem weird?"

"It does, but so what? In case you haven't noticed, this whole family could be considered weird. You fit right in. I'll admit, it will take some getting used to, but you're still our family. It's nothing to worry about."

"Thanks, but something else is bothering me. Are you sure it's not a…burden, having me here?"

"Of course not, sweetie. Danny loves you, and so do we. We're honored to have you here. Besides, I'm sure Danny will appreciate the help in ghost fighting."

"But I haven't helped him! In fact, I'm usually messing things up! The first time we met, I got him captured by Vlad! We would have been killed if his friends hadn't shown up. Then, the next time we met I got both of us caught by Valerie! Every time I've been around him, I've gotten him in trouble!"

"Danni, you're young. You just need a little experience in the field. The only reason you worked for Vlad was because you believed he loved you. It's the sign of a good person to believe in the best of people. And Valerie? Same thing. You just hoped she'd see the good in you. That's a good thing. You're going to fit in fine with this family, Danni. Trust me."

Danni smiled with tears in her eyes as she hugged her mother again. Then, once the hug ended, she snuggled back into bed. Maddie walked out of the room, flicking the light off as she went.

* * *

True to Maddie's words, the next day was busy. Danny woke up as his usual time at six in the morning. All the ghost fighting he had done had trained him to get up early. He looked out of his window to see that some dedicated fans had camped outside his house that night. Rolling his eyes, the ghost boy hit the showers.

After cleaning up he changed into his blue tux, the same one he had worn to the dance so long ago when he first encountered Dora. Even though the dinner wasn't until seven, Danny was still asked, through a second e-mail, to come up to Washington as early as possible to discuss a few things.

He headed downstairs to find the rest of his family gathered, wolfing down their breakfast in a hurry. Jazz was dressed in her best, a black dress with frills at the bottom, while Danielle was wearing her usual clothes, as were his parents, who were still in their trademark jumpsuits.

After breakfast, the family piled back into the Specter Speeder and took off for the White House. According to Tucker's second e-mail, everyone on the intangibility device's staff would be there, which meant Sam and Tucker would be joining them, as well as Valerie.

They arrived at the capital at nine that morning. Fortunately they landed inside the gates, which meant that they were spared by a mobbing of fans and reporters. However, almost instantly they were split up. Danny was asked to report to the Oval Office for another meeting with President Hartman while Jack and Maddie were wanted to discuss further funding for their experiments. Since Jazz was interested in studying Ghost Psychology, she went with her parents.

That left Danny and Danielle for the Oval Office. When they arrived, the male half ghost saw President Hartman standing with three familiar faces.

"Aunt Dora!" Danni squealed, flying forward and hugging the ghost that had taken care of her at her older brother's request.

Before Danny could react to that, another ghost stepped up to him. "Great One!" Frostbite bellowed, giving the boy an affectionate slap on the back. Of course, the oversized paw easily knocked the halfa off balance and sent him stumbling a few steps before regaining his footing. Pandora and Hartman, who were watching this scene, simply laughed.

"Are you alright, Sir Phantom?" Dora asked as she released her former charge.

"Yeah, I'm alright," Danny muttered, rubbing his sore back. Pandora floated up and placed a hand on this shoulder.

"Good to see you again, Daniel. We haven't had a chance to talk since we beat the Box Ghost to a pulp."

Danny smiled, and then turned to his sister, who he noticed was looking a little nervous. He didn't blame her. Pandora was an intimidating ghost, even when being friendly. "Danni, I want to introduce you to a few friends of mine. This is Pandora, ruler of the Mythological Zone."

"Greetings," the large ghost replied, sticking out her lower right hand. Danielle shook it. She seemed nice enough.

"This is Frostbite, ruler of the Far Frozen. He's the one that helped me master my ice powers."

Like Pandora, Frostbite looked quite intimidating, but he seemed to radiate a good mood wherever he was. Still, Danielle was quite surprised when the bulky yeti scooped her up in a bone crushing bear hug.

"Ha! The Great One's sibling! Heard much, I have!" he boomed as his captive tried to wrench free of his grasp. Finally, he let go, leaving a mussed girl behind.

"And this is President Hartman. He got rid of the Guys in White, which makes him aces with me."

Hartman laughed again as he shook Danielle's hand. Then he turned back to the elder sibling. "These three have been telling me all about you since they got here. Why didn't you tell me you were a legend in the Ghost Zone?"

"Well, I don't like to boast," the ghostly hero said. "I take it Dora told you about Danielle? I mean, how she was…born?"

"Yes, that's part of the reason I called you here. We need to get her a social security number and a birth certificate. I take it your family will be taking care of her."

"That's right. So, the government has nothing against her being a clone?"

"It's against the law to perform cloning, not to be a clone. She's perfectly innocent. Besides, we already made the mistake of hating something because of what it was. We aren't going to make that mistake again."

Frostbite gave another booming laugh. "Well then, looks like getting rid of Plasmius really solved all our problems. Speaking of which, do you have my map, Great One?"

"Oh, right," Danny said, reaching into his tux. A moment later, he pulled out the Infi-map and handed it to its keeper. "Sorry it took so long, but I had other things on my mind."

"Quite alright, no harm done," the bulky ghost said, brushing off his friend's tardiness as he unrolled his prize. Instantly several doors popped off the paper, each leading to a different realm or time period.

Hartman watched in amazement. Frostbite had told him of this powerful map, but seeing it in action was still breathtaking. After a moment, the yeti rolled the map back up and pocketed it. "Now then, we should probably get started on these negotiations."

* * *

It took a few hours, but the small group got things settled.

Danielle, of course, quickly got bored with the conversation. Hartman, seeing this, gave her the option of playing with his own children instead. The clone accepted, and Danny approved. It was probably a good idea for her to make friends her own age.

After a few negotiations, they had a plan ready to present to the people.

There were only two constant portals in between Earth and the Ghost Zone: the Fenton Portal once it was rebuilt and the Plasmius portal still residing in Vlad's now confiscated manor. It was agreed that a border patrol would be established for both of these.

The integration of ghosts into the mortal world was an issue. One of the biggest changes the plan hoped to make was to allow humans and ghosts to attend school side by side. It was agreed that this integration would, for the time being, be limited to Amity Park, where Danny could keep a watchful eye on it.

Ghosts taking jobs was another story. Citizens were already weary of foreign humans accepting labor in the country, so ghosts might not go over so well. After some debate, it was agreed that the option would be open for Ecto-Americans to take jobs. It was doubtful that this would happen soon anyway.

A replacement for the Guys in White was being developed. In addition to this new branch, it was agreed that Team Phantom would be government funded, not just by the U.S., but by all the ghost nations present as well as any other country willing to take a share of the bill. Danny announced he planned to put Danielle, his parents, and Valerie on the payroll soon, so all accommodations was made for that.

Other things were discussed. Military alliances, following of international law, planned aid to help Aragon catch up with the other nations of the world, and what Hartman hoped to have passed as a new amendment to the Constitution stating that equal rights extend to ghosts.

Finally, six o'clock came. Time for Danny Phantom to make his first public appearance.

The party turned out to be an outdoor one, held on the White House back yard. As Danny, Hartman, Dora, Frostbite, and Pandora stepped out of the presidential headquarters they saw quite a large gathering of people. There were a few citizens of the Far Frozen talking with Jack and Maddie. Obviously the snow creatures had an interesting amount of technology they wanted to show off. A few of the younger party goers, like Danielle and the Hartman daughters, Carly and Sophia, were playing with a few of Pandora's creatures, obviously thrilled to see beings that were previously just legend. A few of Dora's fellow Aragon residents were talking with the technicians who helped build the intangibility device, wanting to know what modern marvels could improve their kingdom.

But in the middle of it all stood a sight for sore eyes. Sam and Tucker, dressed in their Sunday best, were waiting to greet him. Danny, thankful to see his life long friends, embraced them both.

"Man, you don't know how happy I am to see you guys."

"Rough day?" Sam asked understandably.

"Kind of," Danny sighed. "I've been cooped up in the Oval Office since I got here. We've been hammering out all these policies about these peace negotiations. Hartman's going to present the plan soon, and then I'm expected to give a speech."

This seemed to amuse both his friends greatly. "What are you going to talk about?" Tucker asked.

"I don't know. I'll probably just say what's on my mind about this whole thing. Let's talk about something else. Sam, is everything alright with your parents?"

"Surprisingly, yes," Sam said. "They said they weren't too happy about it, but that they'd allow it."

"Sounds good," Danny commented. "I half expected them to reinitiate that restraining order."

"Me too," Tucker admitted. "Speaking of things sounding good, you'll never guess what happened to me."

That got Danny and Sam's attention. "What?"

"Last night, the city council voted on who the new mayor of Amity Park would be. You know, to replace Vlad? They pretty much impeached his whole staff due to suspicions of them being involved, so they had to pick an entirely new one."

"Who?" his friends asked in unison.

"Me."

The stares Tucker received made him think he may have sprouted a second head.

"Really funny, Tucker," Sam muttered.

"I'm serious, look!" the tecno-geek said, pulling a document from his tux. The paper, bearing the seal of Amity Park, stating that everything the boy had said was true.

"Well I'll be damned," Danny said in amazement, "it's legitimate."

"It's like something out of a bad cartoon," Sam muttered.

"Yeah, I'll admit, it does sound stupid, but it's true. Starting tomorrow, I run the city."

"We're doomed," both Sam and Danny muttered, earning a somewhat hurt glare from the third member of the group.

"We're kidding, Tuck," Danny reassured, "I'm sure you'll do fine."

"Yeah," Sam reassured. "Heck, if someone as clueless as Danny can be a superhero, you can run a town like Amity."

"Hey!" the halfa protested, earning a laugh from Tucker.

"Figures," the dark skinned boy said. "Even after we're worldwide celebrities, it's just like old times. Not that I'm complaining." Suddenly, his expression turned to a worried one. "Uh-oh."

"What?" Danny asked turning around to see what Tucker had saw.

It was Valerie. She hadn't noticed the trio yet. She was wearing a formal yellow dress, and was currently chatting with another of Frostbite's creatures. Apparently, she was still working on getting over her hatred of ghosts, because she seemed nervous while talking. A few seconds later, the ghost walked away, leaving her alone.

Danny sighed. "I'm going to have to face her eventually. Might as well get it over with."

"Go ahead, dude," Tucker encouraged, "we'll meet up with you later."

The world famous hero nodded then began to make his move toward his former crush. While he was walking, Valerie noticed him.

"Um, hey," she said.

"Hi," he answered weakly.

For a second, an awkward silence hung in the air.

"I suppose we need to have a talk," Danny said at last.

"Yeah, we do."

* * *

After giving a quick explanation to Hartman, Danny and Valerie slipped away to the outskirts of the yard, near the outer fence. Security was tight, so there were no reporters around, which meant they were free to talk.

"Okay, first things first," Valerie said, "Did you know I was the Red Hunter when we were dating?"

"…Yes."

"And you still dated me? Why?"

"Well, what can I say? Getting a crush is the surefire way to turn off the logic center of your brain."

Valerie found she couldn't argue with that. "Well, were you ever planning on telling me who you were?"

"At first, yes. But it was only going to be at a point I was sure you weren't going to kill me…some more." Valerie winced slightly. She didn't like being reminded about the fact that she had nearly killed him so much. "But after that incident with Technus and your old suit I knew I couldn't tell you at all if I wanted the relationship to work."

Valerie shook her head. "Danny, you really are clueless. You couldn't have hidden it from me forever. I would have found out eventually, and I would have been even madder."

Danny rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "I guess you're right. Still, what was I supposed to say? 'Hey Val. By the way, I'm actually the ghost you've dedicated your life to hunting. Anyway, want to catch a movie?'"

"Point. So, the dog wasn't yours?"

"No, it's just a wild dog that digs its way out of the Ghost Zone once in a while. He's really very playful once you get to know him." Danny cringed at the glare Valerie shot him. "He's still not mine!"

Valerie just sighed. "You really think Plasmius set the whole thing up?"

"I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did. How soon after the incident did you get that gear?"

"A few days, actually."

"Don't you think it's a little suspicious he got measurement perfect gear for you so quickly?"

Valerie realized he was right. "I don't believe I was tricked like that! I swear if Vlad comes back to Earth I'll kill him completely!"

"Valerie, stop," Danny said quickly, earning a surprised look from the girl. The ghost boy put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her with a serious expression. "Valerie, I'm worried about you. Your entire ghost hunting career is centered on revenge. That's dangerous. Look at Vlad. Everything he ever did was because he wanted revenge on my dad. If you dedicate your life to revenge, it'll eventually become you. You need to stop."

There was silence as Valerie took in Danny's words. "You're right. I'm sorry, but Vlad…how can I just let everything he did to me go?"

"You don't have to. When he comes back to Earth, and he will, he's too ambitious to stay down for long, I plan to give him the beating of his life for everything he's put me, my family, and my friends through. But I won't kill him, and I won't do it for revenge…at least not entirely. It's more to keep him in check."

"Alright. But promise me I'll get a shot in!"

"Deal. In fact, you'll be getting a lot of shots at my enemies soon."

"Why?"

"Because I'm offering you something else. How would you like to finally quit your job at the Nasty Burger?"

Valerie blinked. "I'd love it, but where would I get money for college?"

"From your new job," Danny said plainly. "Team Phantom is soon to be government funded, and I need a few more members to help patrol Amity Park. According to President Hartman, I can start you off at fifty thousand a year, and then give you a raise after the first six months if you're doing your job right."

"Wait…are you telling me I'll get paid to hunt ghosts?"

"That's right. I can probably use my connections to get you a scholarship to any college you want…urk!"

Danny was cut off by Valerie, who threw his arms around his neck and squeezed him tight. "Thank you, thank you!" she cried, giving him a kiss on the cheek. The half ghost boy blushed as the hunter released him.

"Uh, no problem," Danny said, a little stunned.

"So, I suppose it's too late for us to get together again?" Valerie asked, in a tone that suggested she already knew the answer.

"'Afraid so," Danny said. "As soon as I get a few free minutes I'm going to talk to Sam about…you know."

Valerie was hurt, but put on a brave face. "I always knew you two geeks would end up together. Still, we can be friends, right?"

Danny smiled. "I would be disappointed if we weren't." At that point, the two embraced, not as lovers, but as friends. When they broke apart, Danny spoke.

"I suppose we should get back. If we're gone for too long, it might cause rumors."

"No different than Casper, huh?"

"Yeah, except this time they'll be spread around the world."

"Good point. Let's get back before…"

Valerie was cut off a beam of energy collided with her side, sending her to the ground. Danny turned to face his friend's attacker, but instantly found himself wrapped in an ectoplasmic net. Then, all he could see was darkness.

Valerie wasn't down for long. She rose to her feet, activating her gear in the process. She got up in time to see a mysterious figure flying away. She quickly activated her jet sled and began to follow.

"Valerie!" a voice called out. The hot headed huntress turned to see…

"Danielle?" she asked, seeing the clone fly to her in her ghost form.

"Valerie, where's Danny??"

"Somebody shot me and captured him! That's him flying off!" she said, pointing to the fleeing figure.

"We need to get help!"

"No time, that thing's flying away too fast. We need to follow!" Danni just nodded in agreement. Then, the two girls sped off in pursuit to the mystery assailant.

* * *

Danny finally saw light again when he was released from the net. He was in a forest area, but he didn't notice this right away.

What he did notice was Thrash, Vid, and Download floating above him on jets and the former Operatives O and K standing below them, all pointing ectoguns right in his face.

"Well, well, well," Download said smugly, "look what we caught!"


	4. Enemies

A/N: Chapter 4 is here! I apologize this fight scene is so short. Usually my fights last longer, but I'll reserve a bigger action sequence for the final battle.

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom and all related characters copyright Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon, Viacom, and Billionfold Studios.

* * *

Danny gulped. This was definitely a bad situation. It reminded him of the "million dollar ghost" incident when Vlad had thrown him into a parking lot full of ghost hunters, all of which had a gun pointed at his head before he regained his senses. 

However, there was one big difference from that incident. With the exception of his parents, none of the hunters present had any idea what they were doing. This time, the Guys in White were more competent, and Masters' Blasters had taken down several ghosts that Danny himself had trouble with. Plus, this time he could tell this was a personal vendetta, which meant they would be all the more deadly.

"Um…I take it you guys are mad at me," the halfa said slowly.

"Uh…yeah," Download commented, an arrogant smile on his face.

"We're going to make sure you ecto freaks don't pollute this planet," K said curtly.

"How? Killing me won't stop these negotiations," Danny pointed out.

"No, it wouldn't," the former government employee agreed. "Unless, of course, it was done at the hands of one of the Ghost Zone's leaders."

"What are you talking about?" the ghost boy demanded. Had the group in front of him not been so smug, they might have noticed their cornered enemy was doing something else.

As a response to the question, O motioned over to the Masters' Blasters team van. "I believe with the proper evidence the people will believe that the princess of Aragon was behind the murder of Earth's 'greatest hero' on our own soil, and we've fabricated enough that there will be no doubt in anyone's mind that she did!"

The hybrid was shocked. "You idiots! Don't you realize what you're doing?"

"Saving this great country from scum like you? Yes!" K snapped.

"No, you're doing the opposite! This will cause a war, and this country won't survive a war with the Ghost Zone!"

"You wish! We have the best weapons, the best resources…"

"You couldn't even catch me, a single ghost, with all that. How do you expect to fight a war?" Danny snapped. Then, he turned his attention to the three extreme ghost fighters. "What about you guys? This war will get people killed! Can you really live with several hundred people's blood on your hands?"

"Shut up!" Vid spat, shooting Danny in the shoulder with her weapon. The blast stung, but didn't do a whole lot of damage.

_She must have it on low,_ Danny thought as he spoke. "It figures. It's just like I said, you three only care about yourselves. You'd tear down other ghost hunters instead of working with them all because you wanted the glory for yourselves. Figures you'd turn out to be just as arrogant as Plasmius."

"Shut up!" Vid said more forcefully, shooting again. Once more, it struck Danny's shoulder, deepening his burn. Apparently comparing them to Vlad had hit a sore spot.

Download smiled. "Let's see the great Danny Phantom get out of this one."

To the hunters' immense surprise, Danny smiled. "Alright."

As stated before, had the quintet of ghost haters been less arrogant in their assumption that their hated rival was cornered, they might have noticed something. Namely, that Danny was splitting an invisible duplicate off him and phasing it into the ground. While the real Danny had kept the hunters talking, the clone Danny had risen behind them.

And none of them noticed until the duplicate shot Thrash in the back, knocking him to the ground. Not expecting any back up to come, all four of the remaining hunters made the mistake of turning around, meaning all eyes were off the original Danny, allowing him to phase into the ground during his transformation to his ghost half while the clone faded into nothingness.

All the while, Danny carefully weighed his options. Option one was staying here and fighting. However, since three of them had managed to take down powerful ghosts like Aragon, Vortex, and Undergrowth, that option proved to be a foolish one.

Option two was that he make a temporary retreat, rally his allies, and then return to the battlefield. While there was the risk that the hunters would flee in that time, it would also mean that there was little chance their plan would succeed and a higher survival chance.

Not a very hard decision.

Danny phased back up to the surface about ten feet away from his enemies and began to fly his fastest in the direction he hoped the White House was in. The hunters relentlessly chased after their prey.

The hybrid zoomed through the trees at high speeds, using his intangibility to phase through the trees rather than dodge them. However, his powers failed to help when he suddenly slammed into something, effectively halting his progress.

He fell to the ground, landing back first. When his blurred vision regained focus, he saw all five of his attackers standing over him, guns ready.

"Nice try, freak," O said smugly, "but we put a long range ghost shield around the forest. No ghost can get in…or out."

"There's just one problem with you strategy," a new voice said.

Moments later, the two Guys in White operatives were on the ground, courtesy of two blasts, one red and one green. The Masters' Blasters turned to see Valerie and Danni floating in the air above them, the Red Hunter with an ectobazooka mounted on her shoulder and the genetic experiment with her palm out, both of them with light trails of smoke rising.

"You got the shield up too late," Danni finished, firing another ectoblast, this one at Thrash. Unfortunately, the burly ghost hunter was actually quite agile and dodged the blast. Still, he had temporarily forgotten about his main target, who lifted his own hand and landed his own attack in the side of his opponent's head.

A matter of moments later, it was melee. Danny shot into the air and fired two more ectoblasts at the remaining hunters, but Vid and Download proved to be agile as well and dodged. Meanwhile, Thrash proved his endurance and rose to his feet. Then he, along with his teammates, activated his jetpack. The team roared to the sky, ready to continue the battle in an aerial setting.

Valerie roared forward on her jet sled, eager to repay the team for humiliating her on live television (indeed, it had taken a while for her dad to fix her jet sled). She shot her ectobazooka at Thrash again, but this time he was ready. He activated a shield which emerged from his wrist, successfully neutralizing the blast. Danny's attacks on the remaining two were met with similar success. By this time, Valerie was next to Danny, and the three Masters' Blasters surrounded them.

Danielle flew forward, eager to help her big brother, but was cut off when something wrapped around her legs. Giving a cry of surprise, she looked down to see the recovered Operatives O and K, who put away their ectoguns in favor of what appeared to be ectowhips, both of which were wrapped around her ankles. Giving malicious grins, the pair both pressed a single button on their weapons, sending a shock through the weapon and into the ghost girl.

Danni cried out in pain as the ectoenergy flowed through her. As her thoughts began to get hazy, she knew she had to act fast. She pointed both of her palms down and fired, hoping they would hit her assailants. Fortunately, her aim was true. The blasts struck the operative's hands, burning the two men and reducing the handles to scrap.

The moment the pain stopped, the hybrid acted. She dived down toward the pair, who had recovered as well and were currently pulling their ectoguns. Danni managed to reach them first and tackled K to the ground, hitting him with an ectoblast at point blank range.

Before she had realized the truth, Danni Fenton had taken several combat lessons from her so called "dad," she actually had some experience, albeit just the bare bones Vlad had bothered to teach her. And even if she hadn't have gotten this lessons, common sense would have told her what she needed to know next: _the guy behind you still has his ectogun ready, and chances are he's not too worried about harming his partner._

As such, Danni quickly flew back up. Her timing ended up being perfect, because at that point O had fired a blast that ended up striking his coworker's chest. As K screamed in pain and cursed his partner, Danni dived back toward the ground, hoping to kick the still standing operative in the side of the head.

The attack connected, which was bad for O, because the young girl had inherited her brother's strength but not his control. Fortunately she wasn't nearly as strong, so the attack merely sent the Guy in White to the ground with a splitting headache.

Danni cheered at her victory. Sadly, she did so prematurely, because K shot her in the back.

The young girl cried out in pain and fell to the ground. Her back burned, and tears of pain were leaking from her eyes. She fought the pain and tried to stand up. But as she did, she noticed both operatives were standing over her, guns charging up.

* * *

If Danny and Valerie were aware of the young girl's troubles, they were too distracted by their current predicament to do anything about it. All three members of Vlad's ghost hunting team fired their ectoblasts wildly, causing both teens to dodge with speed one would think would be impossible. Both eventually flew toward the sky in an attempt to escape the blasts. 

When they reached a certain height Valerie looked back down and attempted to fire her ectobazooka again, but it was quickly blasted to scrap by Thrash, who seemed eager to repay the attacks she had inflicted on him earlier. Silently thanking the world for the fact that her suit could withstand the weapon's explosion she summoned her three floating blocks, which began firing ectoblasts at an alarming rate.

Danny was firing as well, but the team below dodged while moving upward. Soon they were once again at the same altitude as their opponents. This time when they fired, both teens moved down, so they were underneath their rivals.

"Try to take out their jet packs," Danny instructed.

Valerie nodded in reply and aimed her ectoblasts for the Masters' Blasters' backs. While attacks from both warriors landed, Danny knew it would take quite a few hits to destroy them. After all, they had both hit Thrash in the back before now and his pack seemed perfectly functional.

They didn't attack for long before the three technology-equipped opponents began firing back. Danny quickly summoned a shield around both him and Valerie, blocking the initial barrage. However, the ghost boy couldn't keep the defense up for long without draining a great deal of energy. So, he quickly dismissed the shield, and then both he and his comrade flew in different directions.

It turns out both of them were thinking the same thing. They didn't fly far before they both turned around and fired, hoping to land some attacks on the pack. Sadly, all three of them managed to turn around and get their shields up before a successful attack could be landed. Then, the three split as well, with Thrash and Download going toward Danny and Vid going one on one with Valerie.

The two female hunters flew in several circular patterns, each exchanging blasts while dodging the other's attacks. For a few moments, it looked like it would be a stalemate, but neither girl would accept that

So, after a few seconds of combat, Vid fired another shot from her ectogun. This one struck Valerie's jet sled in the front. Fortunately, since the jets weren't damaged, the machine stayed afloat, but it did shake and wobble, throwing the Red Hunter off her equilibrium.

This gave her opponent an opening to come in, place the barrel of her ectogun on the girl's stomach, and pull the trigger.

Even with her suit's heavy armor, the attack was still quite painful. Valerie was knocked back, her floating blocks dissolving, but Vid kept on her, placing the barrel on her stomach again.

"Look's like I got you," she mocked.

Her taunt was answered with a punch to the gut. The sole female Blaster's armor was tough, but Valerie's was tougher. After all, it was built by Technus, master of science and technology, for the sole purpose of destroying Danny Phantom.

"No, I got you," the huntress replied before firing her wrist cannon. Vid was knocked back a few feet, allowing Valerie to once again summon her gun blocks. She fired all three, which struck the girl in the stomach, sending her hurdling through the air.

Danny, meanwhile, was attempting to bring down the other two members of Masters' Blasters. Easier said then done, however. Download fired a net from her wrist, which wrapped around Danny, effectively trapping him. Both of his opponents aimed their ectoguns at him.

The hybrid responded by using a move he hadn't performed since his first battle with Lydia. He curled into a ball, and then spun around rapidly, sending a wave of ectoenergy in every direction. It ripped the net to shreds while knocking his opponents back as an added bonus.

Now free, Danny quickly fired two well aimed ectoblasts, which made their mark, reducing the Masters' Blaster's weapons to scrap. Undaunted, Thrash and Download pulled out their secondary weapons and began firing. The resident superhero of Amity Park put of a shield to block the first attacks, then divided him in two and flew in separate directions.

Both Danny's did the same thing. They flew to the Blasters' side and attempted to fire another few blasts at their jetpacks. Both initial attacks hit but further attacks were shielded. Disappointed, the hybrid dismissed his copy. It was hard enough fighting without his consciousness split into two separate bodies.

Two more ectoblasts whizzed by above his head, the ghost boy returned, trying to take out the ectoguns. However, the two ghost hunters blocked with their miniature shields. They then fired more blast Danny dodged the first few, but one struck him right in the chest.

Danny had felt worse, so he shook it off easily. Still, it served its purpose as a distraction. In a split second Thrash was on him, his oversized fists wrapped around his neck. Struggling, he tried to turn intangible, but something in his opponent's armor prevented him from doing so.

"Now, you're going to see where I get my name," Thrash said, while a charging sound came from his armor.

Whatever he was going to do, it stopped when Vid crashed into him from behind, having been hit hard by Valerie's punch. Ordinarily, it would have been a minor annoyance, but there were two factors that made it a problem. First, both ghost hunters crashed into each other on their jetpacks. Secondly, and more importantly, Thrash's pack was severely weakened from being shot so many times.

The result? The weakened jet pack exploded on contact. That explosion caused the second jetpack to explode as well.

While their armor prevented any serious injury, that still didn't change the fact that neither of them could fly. Both Thrash and Vid began a long fall to the ground.

* * *

"Uh…apparently you freaks reproduce quickly," O spat as he leveled his gun. "It's going to be an honor turning you into goo." 

Danni struggled to gather her energy. She couldn't let this happen again! She couldn't get caught and make Danny save her again! She had to beat these guys!

If Danielle could fight her way out, she never got the chance, because at that moment Vid and Thrash fell from the heavens and right on top of Operative O. The former government employee fell to the ground, while several of his bones snapped from the intense weight. The two Blasters were luckier since their armor absorbed a good deal of the impact, but the fall knocked them out cold. To add to the injuries O's ectogun went off when he was hit, which fired another blast right at K's chest. Having already been shot there twice before, the pain was immense. Still, K bore it and aimed his gun at Danielle.

Or rather, where Danielle had been.

The young clone took her chance and turned invisible while her opponents were distracted. By the time K recovered she was already firing another blast.

One that struck K's chest again. Danni didn't stop to survey the damage; she just flew forward and delivered a kick to the side of his head.

The former government agent fell to the ground. This time, he did not get up. Satisfied, Danni flew up to help her brother.

With his allies defeated, it's no surprise Download tried to run. However, Danny, Danielle, and Valerie wouldn't have it. In a matter of moments the final hunter was surrounded.

"Um…heh heh...uh, how 'bout letting me off with a warning?" he asked nervously.

Valerie responded by shooting beams from all three gun blocks at his pack, destroying it. As Download plummeted to Earth, Danny debated catching him. In the end, he decided no. He would survive the fall, and he was in no mood to spend more energy knocking him out.

Finally, the final Blaster crashed to the ground, his suit breaking. He, like his fellow conspirators, lost consciousness. Still, the armor had saved his life.

Danny smiled and turned to his fellow victors. "Very good. You two are going to make great teammates."

"Heck yeah," his former crush answered. "You should know better than anyone how good I can fight."

"That was fun," Danni said. "Do we get to do stuff like that all the time?"

"More than I care for," Danny muttered. "Hey, those idiots didn't hurt you, did they?" he asked as he looked his little sister over. He gasped when he saw the burn on her back. "Oh man, you better take it easy. Are you okay? Does it hurt?"

"Danny, I'm fine. It doesn't hurt that much," the girl protested.

"Come on, Danny," Valerie said, "you can't coddle her forever."

Danny sighed. "I just worry, alright? Look, Val, you and Danni restrain these guys. There should be something for that in their van. I'll look for the source of the ghost shield so we can get out of here."

The two girls nodded and began searching the back of the van. Danny began looking through the tops of the trees; the only place the shield generator could be to produce a shield of this range.

As he looked, a thought ran through his head. _My secret's been out for barely a day and I've been the victim of an assassination attempt. Something tells me it will only get worse._ He sighed as he looked at Danni. _It'll probably be harder for Danni. The poor kid's never had to deal with so much before._

He finally found the generator and flipped the switch, turning it off. _Here's to hoping for a good outcome. _

* * *

Alright, not bad for the first fight scene. Rest assured, the Guys in White and Masters' Blasters are just warm ups. Some really terrifying enemies are right around the corner. 


	5. Love

A/N: Well, here's chapter 5. I apologize for the short legth. I promise, chapter 6 will be much longer. Also, I want to assure you this fic is nowhere near done. Now, unto the story...

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom and all related characters copyright Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon, Viacom, and Billionfold Studios.

* * *

_Ghost Fighting Log Entry: September 25__th__, 2006  
What a week it's been. My visit to the White House made me realize that even when they're fired, the Guys in White don't give up._

_After a few hours of negotiation on the Ghost Integration plan I was allowed to talk to Valerie and offer her a spot on Team Phantom, which is good, because now that Tucker is mayor we're down a man. Unfortunately, immediately after the meeting I was snatched away by the Masters' Blasters, who apparently hate me as well. The next thing I knew I was face to face with five of the most ruthless ghost hunters I had ever faced. Fortunately, Valerie and Danielle joined me on the battlefield soon afterward._

_The resulting battle resulted in serious injuries for our enemies. Operative O got the worst of it. Since two heavily armored hunters fell on him, he was given a fractured skull and a broken back. One thing's for sure, he isn't going to be walking anytime soon. Operative K had a severely burned chest and a concussion, but he should recover. The three Masters' Blasters were better protected, but still have several broken bones._

_Soon after our victory a squad of government agents arrived on the scene. It seems our absence was noticed, and we were searched for. It turns out the Guys in White still had supporters in the White House and managed to get a few follicles that the leaders had lent the science community for research. Their plan was to frame Dora for my murder._

_The investigation is still ongoing, but one things clear: the five ghost hunters are going to be in federal prison for a long time._

_I am pleased to say that there were no truly serious injuries on our side. The worst was a burn on Danielle's back, which Valerie treated while I was explaining the situation to the feds._

* * *

Danni sighed as she looked up at her friend. "It's just…those guys would have ripped me apart if those other guys hadn't fallen on them. I had to depend on Danny to save me again. I can't seem to do anything right." 

"You beat Vlad," the older woman pointed out. "That's impressive."

"I beat Vlad's duplicate," the hybrid clarified. "The real thing is a lot tougher."

"Well, look, your only problem is you're inexperienced. When I first began ghost hunting I was tripping all over myself trying to use my weapons. I'm willing to bet if you asked Danny, he'll tell you he had a hard time learning to use his powers. Just give it time, you'll get better."

"…You think I could be as powerful as Danny someday?"

Valerie smiled. "I wouldn't doubt it."

* * *

_Following that, I gave my speech before the assembled party. From now on I will avoid public speaking if at all possible, and when I do my speeches will be brief and to the point. I just don't like the spotlight._

_Following that, Sam, Tucker, and Valerie went home, but I wasn't so lucky. Me and my family spent the rest of the week globe hopping. The following day we went to England, where I became Sir Danny Phantom. Then I made stops in Japan, India, France, Russia, and everywhere in between. Finally, I'm back home, but there's no rest for me. Tomorrow I'll be looking over some ghosts who will be attending and working at Casper High. Plus, tonight Tucker will be unveiling a statue of me at City Hall, plus identical statues all around the world. If this keeps up, people will start thinking I have a big head._

_However, I won't be attending the ceremony. I have some personal business to attend to._

_-DF  
_

* * *

"Hey little brother, ready for the ceremony tonight?"

"I'm not going," the halfa replied, earning a stare from his sister.

"What? But it's in your honor."

"I know, but I have some unfinished business to take care of."

Jazz blinked. "Well…okay, but the public will be expecting you."

Danny responded by phasing down into the lab. He returned with the Tuckbot 9000, still dressed to match his human form.

"There, taken care of. By the way, where's Danielle?"

"At Valerie's. She wouldn't say why she went though."

* * *

"Why not ask Danny?" the Red Hunter asked. 

"I'd love to, but he's too busy right now to help me," Danni replied. "His schedule won't clear up much for another three weeks and I want to get started now."

"Impatient, huh?" Valerie asked.

"So? Danny says you're impatient."

The ghost hunter found she couldn't argue with that. "Alright, let's see if we can get a few rounds of training in before the ceremony."

* * *

Danny checked his pocket for the ring before transforming and flying off. Finally, after a week of wondering and waiting, he could finally straighten things out with Sam. He had even memorized exactly what he was going to say to her. 

Minutes later, he was outside his crush's window. Inside, she was laying on her bed on her stomach while casually flipping through a magazine. Silently, he phased into the room. Then, he placed his hand on her shoulders while softly saying, "Boo!"

The goth jumped in surprise and whirled around. Her expression immediately turned to joy. "Danny!" she cried, throwing her arms around the ghost boy's neck and pulling him close. Danny responded by wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You missed me that bad?" Danny asked.

"More than you can imagine," she whispered softly as she enjoyed the hybrid's embrace. "So, did you come to pick me up for the ceremony?"

"Oh, we're not attending the ceremony."

"What? Why not?"

"Because we need to have a serious talk. Come on, I want to take you somewhere quiet."

"Okay, just let me get my boots on," she said, reluctantly leaving the boy's arms. She quickly slipped her boots on, grabbed her keys and cell phone, and joined Danny once more. "Let's go," she said, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

Sam was expecting him to take off right then. So she was surprised when he instead scooped her up to where he was carrying her bridal style, not that she was complaining. Moments later, Danny phased them both out of the room and into the air.

A few minutes later the pair landed on a hill overseeing City Hall. The two teens took a seat underneath a nearby tree and spent the next few minutes enjoying the view.

Sam looked into the crowd of people gathered and saw Paulina who, predictably, was in the front row and, equally as predictably, was in full fan girl mode. She was wearing a t-shirt with Danny's picture on it while holding a sign above her head. The goth couldn't read it, but it was undoubtedly a declaration of love.

Usually, this would have made the girl angry, but instead it caused a sense of worrying that had been bothering her that entire week. Now that the world knew he was Danny Phantom, her crush could literally have any girl he wanted. The incredibly beautiful Paulina and the battle ready Valerie were no longer unreachable. Why would Danny want to date her?

She sighed silently and looked at her long time friend. After a moment, she got the courage to speak.

"I can't believe you didn't want to attend your own ceremony."

"Yeah, well, you know me. I kind of like sitting on the sidelines sometimes."

"And your folks are cool with knowing your secret identity?"

"Yeah, the time for secrets is over. The world is safe, time for new beginnings. My dad even said he wants me to team up with him now, says I can be _his_ sidekick," the boy replied with a smile.

"You're a big star now, probably the biggest in the world."

"Yeah. It's weird, huh?"

"You'll probably get pretty busy," Sam sighed.

"What else is new?"

"And…I probably won't see much of you anymore," the girl said, putting on a brave face and preparing for heartbreak.

"Aw…I wouldn't count on that," Danny replied, reaching into his pocket. Much to Sam's surprise and joy, the black haired boy she had known practically all her life pulled out a familiar golden ring. Her face lit up with hope.

For a split second, the halfa stopped. Now, in the moment of truth, he had forgotten his long rehearsed confession. So, in a split second decision (he had become good at making quick decisions, whether in battle or in conversation) he decided to say what came naturally.

He gently took the girl's wrist and pulled it forward, then slid the ring onto her finger. "Sam…I could never have done any of this without you."

Sam, the resident goth of Casper High, who never let her emotions get to her if it wasn't anger, who despised human contact because it would crush her goth indifference, who would always gag at those sappy romance stories her parents would watch, could do nothing to stop the tears that were spilling from her eyes. She looked at the ring, then back up at the blue eyes of her best friend and crush.

"And…I don't care what's coming next. I just hope…whatever it is, you're there to share it with me."

Sam wondered if she was dreaming. If she was, she hoped she'd never wake up. "I will be," she said softly. Then, remembering she had a reputation to maintain, she pushed her tears back and regained her composure. "I've just gotta warn you, I'm no pushover, you know. I still have my own way of doing things."

Danny gave a knowing smile. "That's what I'm counting on," he said, taking her hands in his and pressing his lips onto hers, who pressed right back.

After a few moments, they broke apart and stared into each other's eyes. "That was the best kiss of my life," Sam said dreamily.

Her boyfriend smiled back. "Best kiss of your life _so far_," he corrected, kissing her again. This time, when he broke the kiss, he stood up, and his girlfriend followed his lead, still holding his hands. "What do you say?" he asked, transforming into his ghost form. "Want to go for a ride? See where the future takes us?"

Sam smiled. "Why not?"

With that, she was scooped up bridal style. She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck. Danny walked to the edge of the hill, and then took off, flying over the newly unveiled statue of himself.

"Cool statue," the girl in his arms commented. "Personally, I would have made it out of recycled materials, but you know, that's just me."

"I know it, and I love it," the hybrid answered.

Sam smiled, then gently smacked Danny in the back of his head. "Tell anyone I cried and you're gonna get it."

"Trust me; I know that all too well."

* * *

Meanwhile… 

In the depths of space, Vlad Plasmius, formerly a billionaire businessman and one of the most powerful ghosts in the Ghost Zone, sat on a tiny floating rock. The once mighty villain had fallen.

"Actually," he said, rationalizing, "being a free roaming space nomad isn't half bad. At least it's quiet and I…"

He was cut off by a sudden rumbling. He turned around and had about half a second to scream before the Disasteroid slammed into him.

Instantly all feeling left his body. He went numb. When he regained his senses, he was floating in eternal darkness. He was weak. Soon, he would revert back to his human form and be crushed by the vacuum of space.

However, just when he was giving in to the temptation to transform he saw a figure in front of him. It took a minute for his brain to accept the possibility that another creature could be out here, and even longer for him to realize who it was.

"Fright Knight?" Vlad asked.

Indeed, it was the Spirit of Halloween himself. Of course, he didn't hear Plasmius' question (how could he? Sound doesn't travel in a vacuum), he simply loaded the injured hybrid onto his horse. Then, with the snap of the reigns his steed began its descent back to Earth, carrying two powerful ghosts.


	6. Changes

A/N: No update last week? I'm so sorry! To make up for it, this one's extra long.

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom and all related characters copyright Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon, Viacom, and Billionfold Studios.

* * *

Whenever Danny woke up, it took him a few moments to enter the world of the living. Which is why when his consciousness began returning to him the following morning, he was surprised when he noticed two things. First off, the bed he was sleeping in didn't feel like his. The second and more shocking fact was that he had his arms around something warm and soft, which was hugging back.

Then he remembered what had happened the previous day. He opened his eyes to see Sam laid next to him, her head resting in the crook of his neck in peaceful slumber. Her arms were wrapped around his chest and she was looking happier than the boy had ever remembered.

Memories from the previous night came flowing back. After flying around for awhile they went to Sam's house. Her parents were away on business (the hysteria caused by the near end of the world meant that a lot of work had to be put into getting their company back on track) and Ida didn't seem to mind the boy's presence.

They spent the evening talking and catching up on their intimate moments. At around midnight they kicked off their shoes and socks and climbed into bed, cuddling up for the night.

Danny checked the clock on the nightstand. It was eight, which meant he had to leave soon. He leaned in and kissed Sam gently on the lips. A few moments later the kiss was returned. When he broke away the goth opened her eyes, now very much awake.

"You sure beat any alarm clock," Sam mused as she cuddled back into him.

"Good morning to you too," the boy said, beginning to get up. However, he was pulled back down.

"It's still early," she reminded, tightening her grip and planting a kiss on his lips.

"Yeah, well I'm afraid early is when I'm expected to be at Casper High to look over the integration plan," the halfa replied, unwillingly phasing out of her arms and sitting on the side of the bed.

"I guess you really are going to be busy," Sam sighed, sitting up as well.

"These next few weeks are going to be hectic. But I promise, first chance I get, I'm taking you on the best date of your life."

"Don't you mean, 'best date of my life _so far_'?" she corrected.

"I guess I do," he said, kissing her forehead. He then slipped his socks and shoes on before giving her girlfriend one last kiss on the lips. "I'll try and see you tonight, okay?"

Sam just smiled. "You better. See ya!"

"Later!" Danny said as he transformed. In a flash he was out the window, no doubt already halfway to the high school.

Sam rose to her feet and began heading to her bathroom to take a shower. However, halfway there something unexpected happened.

A sharp pain shot through her head. As she clutched her temples strange images began playing before her eyes.

_A jungle. Flowers. Trees. A low, evil chortle._

Then, as quickly as it came, it stopped.

Sam blinked as she looked around her room for anything strange. After a moment she brushed it off. These last few weeks had been hectic for her. Maybe it was all the stress and lack of sleep getting to her. Shaking her head she headed for the shower.

* * *

Danny only stopped for a glass of orange juice and a Pop-Tart before finishing his short trek to Casper High. As he landed in front, he was greeted by a familiar figure.

"Mr. Lancer?" he asked.

"You can imagine how surprised I was, Mr. Fenton, when I saw you on national television," the English teacher said, shaking his pupil's hand. "Who would have thought there was actually a reason for your sub-average grades?"

"Uh, yeah, well…" Danny said, putting his hand on the back of his neck.

"Anyway, I'm sure you're busy, so let's get right to it," Lancer said, leading Danny into the school. "The school board appointed me to help you oversee this integration plan. We have several ghosts enrolling here, as well as three joining the staff."

"Wait, you mean you're actually hiring ghosts here already?"

"Yes. You see, we were quite understaffed and desperately needed some more workers. However, only one of them is a teacher. We needed a new drama instructor, and we found someone very qualified for the job. Ah, we're at his classroom now."

Lancer opened the door. Inside was another familiar face…or rather, no face.

"Amorpho?" Danny asked.

"Well, if it isn't Billy Phantom," the shape changing ghost said as he floated over to greet the pair.

"Uh, it's Danny," the hybrid answered, shaking the ghost's hand.

"Ah, with my new job kids will have to pay attention to me, whether they want to or not."

"Don't count on it," Danny mumbled under his breath. "So, can I get a guarantee you won't pull anymore pranks?"

"Aw, can't a ghost have any fun, Bobby?"

"My name's Danny, and at least try not to hurt anybody, okay?"

"Relax. I'll admit, that incident where I turned into you is not something I care to repeat."

"We really must be going," Lancer cut in. "We have quite a few more ghosts to look over."

"Alright, I suppose I should get back to creating my lesson plan," Amorpho said.

"Yeah, I have a meeting with some White House official after this, so I want to wrap this up as soon as possible," Danny said. He turned and began heading for the door. "See you later, Amorpho."

Danny was almost at the door when his goodbye received a response. "Goodbye, Timmy."

"It's Danny!" the hybrid replied, exasperated.

"I didn't realize you knew Amorpho," Lancer commented.

"Yeah, thanks to him I had what had to have been the most hectic hour of my life."

"Beware!" a voice yelled.

Lancer jumped into the air, while Danny got into battle position. However, he relaxed when he saw who it was.

"Oh, it's you," he responded, a bit annoyed.

"Yes, it is I, the Box Ghost! But fear nor, for I have been forced to retire as your foe in order to take up a custodial job to make ends meet!"

"Wait…you mean…you're a janitor?"

"I'm afraid so," Lancer answered, looking a bit annoyed himself. "We hired both him and his wife to work here."

Danny did a double take. "His wife?"

"That's me, dearie," a new voice said.

The halfa saw the owner of the new voice…and groaned.

It was the Lunch Lady.

A moment later, Danny realized she was cradling something in her arms. It was a ghost baby, one that the ghost boy had actually met nearly a year and a half ago.

"Since Box Lunch here was born, we had to take up jobs in order to properly take care of her."

"Hey, if it means the two of you will stay off my back, I'm happy with it."

"Wait, you know these two as well?" Lancer asked.

"Unfortunately," the Danny mumbled.

"Well, will you be able to keep an eye on them all?"

"Yeah, don't worry. I can keep the peace around here."

"Excellent. Now that you've met the staff, we should probably move onto meeting the students. If you'll come with me, please," the teacher said, motioning to another room. When Danny entered he saw it contained only a table with two seats. Both the ghost and the teacher took one, then Lancer check a clipboard that the table had held. "Okay, let's see here. Send in the first new student."

A teenage ghost entered. To Phantom's extreme displeasure, it was another familiar face.

"Well, look who it is," Johnny 13 said.

"Oh great. I'm surprised you even wanted to attend school."

"Another familiar face, Mr. Fenton?" Lancer asked.

"Sadly enough, yes." 

"No need to get hostile, kid," the biker said. "I'm only here because Kitty insisted we go back to school."

"Kitty's here too?"

"Yeah, she kept whining that she wanted to finish school. She died when she was a junior and never got to graduate. Personally, I don't know what the big deal is. I dropped out at the same time, and look at me."

Silence greeted that.

"I have never felt so privileged to get an education," Danny said. "Just stay out of trouble…and away from my sister."

"Still digging that tough guy act, and don't worry, I won't bite." With that, he faded away.

"Well then," the ghost boy said, "I suppose next up will be…" at that point, the next ghost came in. "…Kitty. What a surprise."

"Wow, you're good," the green haired girl said as she walked in.

"I hope you'll be changing into some more decent clothes when you actually attend," Lancer noted, clearly finding the girl's attire to be distasteful.

"What's wrong with how I dress?" Kitty demanded.

"Uh, look, Kitty," Danny cut in, trying to get the conversation back on track, "Sam tells me you can do a 'kiss of death' kind of thing. You have to promise not to do that."

"Don't worry, I stopped hanging around Ember and Spectra. They're both bi--…"

"Ms. Philips!" Lancer cut in, "I'll have you know it is against school policy to use such language!"

"Oh, sorry," the girl apologized. "Well, not that I've registered, I'll be going." With that, she blew a non-lethal kiss at the ghost boy. "I'll be seeing you around, Danny." Then she faded away as well.

Danny didn't think his blush could get any deeper. Lancer noticed. "You're awfully shy around women for someone who's been declared the world's most eligible bachelor."

"I'm not a bachelor. I have a girlfriend."

"Oh, you and Ms. Manson are an item now?"

"Wh-how did you know that?" Danny shouted.

"It was rather obvious," the teacher said bluntly, deepening the boy's blush. "Regardless, we should continue. You might see some more familiar faces."

"I doubt it," Danny sighed. At that point, Sydney Poindexter floated in. "Then again…"

* * *

"Everything is on track," Skulker said. "Technus and I have almost completed our little project."

Walker listened from behind his desk, fuming all the while. He had been in a foul mood for the past several weeks. The Disasteroid incident had him worrying just like everyone else. However, its passing only brought momentary relief, for more bad news followed.

They were going to try and remove him from power. Him, the only lawful ghost in the Wasteland! They were going to tear down his prison, which took decades to build. How dare they!

He wasn't going to take it lying down. He was going to stop it. It was sickening having to work with unlawful ghosts like Skulker and Technus, but it was a necessary evil. What he hated more was…

"Walker!" Skulker snapped, bringing the warden out of his trance. "I need an answer! Does that second-in-command of yours have our components ready?"

"Yes, yes, Bullet has the rest of the parts you need. It better be worth the money we spent on them."

"Oh, don't worry. By the end of next week the ghost child will be nothing more than another pelt lining my wall."

* * *

After Poindexter's interview, none of the other ghosts passing through were familiar. A few were from the Fifties Zone as well, but others had no definite origin point. Many claimed to be from the Wasteland, which Danny accepted.

"Well, that's all of them," Lancer said at last. "There's just one more thing."

"And that is?"

"We do have one ghost who will be attending Casper Elementary."

That got Danny's attention. "Who?"

As if on cue, the door swung open. "Avast, me hearties!"

"Oh no," the boy moaned, burying his face in his hands.

It was Youngblood.

"Looks like we meet again, landblubber."

"That's land_lubber_," the ever present skeleton parrot corrected.

Lancer was confused. "Does he always go around dressed like that?"

"No, sometimes he's a cowboy or a…wait, you can see him?"

Now the teacher was even more confused. "Of course. Why shouldn't I be?"

"Adults aren't supposed to be able to see him!"

"They can see me now," the pirate ghost cut in. "I got the Observants mad at me, so they took away my ability to hide myself."

"Wait, what did you do?"

"Something about a prank I pulled. I think I may have accidentally set a few of their prisoners free. Some guy called Vortex. I think those guys that worked for Plasmius caught them, though."

Danny sighed. He was suddenly dreading returning to school.

* * *

Sam walked down the stairs in a perky attitude she only ever let Danny, Tucker, and her grandma catch her in. She was still too giddy about last night to care about who saw her. As she entered her kitchen, she was surprised to find her parents there.

"Sammy-kins, you're up!" her mother said, hugging her daughter.

"Mom, Dad, I thought you would be gone longer."

"Our work didn't take as long as expected," Jeremy answered. "You seem to be in a good mood this morning. Did something happen?"

Sam paused. She didn't know how to answer that question. Her parents were always reluctant to allow her to hang out with Danny. The revelation that he was half ghost only further fueled their contempt (although, to be fair, they were worried for Sam's safety, not for Danny's lower social status). How would they react to the fact that they were dating?

Eventually, Sam realized she would have to tell the truth. Her relationship with Danny would be all over the news before long, and if she lied now it would only make her parents angry when they found out.

"Well, last night Danny and I had a talk. We're…well, we're dating."

Pamela, who had been midway through a sip of orange juice, suddenly chocked on her drink, while Jeremy dropped the fork he had been using. "D-dating?" he asked.

"Yeah. Is that a problem?"

Mr. Manson looked at his wife before answering. "No, it's…okay with us."

"Oh yes," Pamela said. "We probably couldn't talk you out of this even if we wanted to."

Sam sighed. She could tell they weren't happy. Why couldn't they understand? Still, at least they were behaving themselves.

Deciding not to press the subject, she headed to the counter to prepare some toast. However, as she reached in the cabinet, it happened again.

_Green…The children…are suffering…_

It stopped once more.

"Sammy-kins, are you okay?" her mother asked.

"Yeah…just a headache," she responded. Still, now she wasn't sure what it was…

* * *

After finally finishing at Casper High, Danny headed over to the building which had previously been the Amity Park branch of the Guys in White. Of course, it had been recently converted to suit the replacement agency. Just like at the high school, the savior of the world was greeted when he arrived.

"Ah, Mr. Fenton, pleasure to meet you. I am Agent Kaufman of the Department of Ghostly Activities."

Agent Kaufman was dressed in a white business suit, just like his predecessors. Still, that's were their similarities ended. Unlike O and K, he had hair, which was brown and spiked up. He had an aged face, noticeable even under his sunglasses. His uniform was like the standard Guys in White uniform, except the colors were reversed.

"Nice to meet you. I was told you wanted to speak to me about the plans to remove Walker."

"Yes, please follow me," Kaufman said, leading Danny inside. As the walked through the hallways of the building he noticed several of the other agents were staring at him. The hybrid sighed. He had been expecting this. A savior of the world, he was bound to be gawked at wherever he went. Even though he knew it was coming, it still didn't make it any easier.

Finally, Kaufman led him to his office where he took a seat at his desk. Danny sat down as well as the agent slid him a folder. The ghost boy took it and opened it. Inside was information and photos of Walker and his jail.

"We've been monitoring the place for the last few days. We've seen a bunch of ghosts, mostly his guards, go in and out, but we haven't been able to pick out anything useful."

"Well, who else has entered besides the guards?"

"That's what we were hoping you could tell us. We have photos of both of them in there."

At that point Danny finally noticed two pictures of some very familiar ghosts. They didn't work for Walker, but their appearances were familiar nonetheless. It was Skulker and Technus.

"I recognize these two. I've fought them so many times I've lost count."

"Can you think of any reason they would work for Walker?"

"No. In fact, they should be against him. He locked them up the first time he saw them."

"Weird. So, no idea what they're up to?"

"Well, both of these guys are good with machines," the halfa mused, "and they both work for whoever the highest bidder is. Maybe Walker paid them to build something for him."

"What? We don't want to send troops in if we don't know what we're up against."

"Then maybe Team Phantom should pay a visit to Skulker's Island."

* * *

By the time Danny arrived home, Sam and Valerie were already there as well thanks to an early call he had made on the way home. After a bit of discussion, a plan of attack was decided.

Which is why Danny, Valerie, and Danielle found themselves the only three entering the lair's synthetic jungle.

It was agreed that a quick escape might be needed with all the traps on the hunter's island. And since only three members of the team had the ability of flight, they made up the entry team. Jack, Maddie, Jazz, and Sam were waiting in a safe spot in two Spectre Speeders, ready to cover the trio at a moment's notice.

There was another reason the rest of the team couldn't join their comrades. Skulker, always one to try and catch rare prey, had set sensors to tell him whenever something that wasn't a ghost entered his domain. Danny and Danielle, of course, had no trouble fooling the security. Neither did Valerie after she made an interesting discovery. Since Technus composed her suit entirely out of his energy, whenever she wore it she registered as a ghost on most devices.

The island was filled to the brim with traps, but the Red Hunter proved that her suit wasn't just for show. The scanners built into her helmet allowed her to see most of the obstacles before they became a problem.

It wasn't long before they reached the building that rested in the island's center. Being the egomaniac he was, Skulker was sure that no creature could reach his inner sanctum, so he had left the door unlocked, inviting the trio to walk right in. They found a lab directly inside.

"Alright, split up and search the place," Danny directed. "Try and find something that will tell us what Skulker's up to, and if you see another ghost, don't fight him, get us first."

"Right," Danni and Valerie both responded before heading to different corners of the lab. They began opening drawers and shuffling through papers, trying to find something. Unfortunately, they found nothing…or at least, nothing they understood.

They found a lot of blueprints and schematics, that's for sure. And while they could get a basic idea of what they were supposed to be plans for, neither Danny or his sister were good with science, so they had no clue what it was. Valerie was a little better, being the daughter of a scientist, but she still wasn't very tech minded.

"What do you suppose we take?" Valerie asked.

"Kaufman told me 'when in doubt, take everything.' Grab as many papers as you can carry."

"Uh, Danny," the younger halfa whispered from across the room, "there's a ghost in the other room," she said, motioning into a doorframe, "and it doesn't look like that picture of Skulker you showed me."

"Well let's take a look, then," Danny replied as he and Valerie walked toward the door. Through the doorway was what looked like a living room. And who they saw sitting in a chair surprised them both.

"Is that…Ember McLain?" Valerie asked as she stared at the former pop star.

"Yeah," the elder hybrid replied, "I guess I didn't tell you she was a ghost…and one of my worst enemies." As he spoke, Danny watched the singer and noticed something. Ember didn't have the attitude she usually expressed. Sure, her evil scowl was still there, but that was the only thing that was the same. Upon closer inspection, he realized that light bruises covered the parts of her skin that showed. Her ponytail had been reduced to a tiny flickering flame. She still looked the same, but it seemed all the life (so to speak) was sucked out of her.

"Well what's she doing here?"

"Is she…no, no way?"

"What?"

"Well, Skulker once mentioned he had a girlfriend, but she couldn't be…"

"Guys," Sam yelled over the Fenton Phones, "Skulker's coming back! You better hide!"

"Oh no," Danny muttered. "Quick, hide!"

"In here," Valerie said motioning to a closet. Quickly, the three piled in and attempted to close the door. It failed, so they left it open a crack, hoping the hunter wouldn't notice.

Fortunately, he didn't. When he entered his lab, the first thing he noticed was the mess the three Team Phantom members had made. As stated before, Skulker was too big of an egomaniac to even think his machines had failed. So that left only one thing he could blame.

Watching through the crack in the door, the three heroes saw Skulker walk into the other room. "What did you do to my lab?" he demanded.

There was a moment of silence due to surprise on Ember's part. "I didn't touch it, dipstick."

"Who else could have done it?" At this point, the three chanced exiting the closet and sneaking a look into the other room.

"I don't know. Maybe those stupid traps of yours didn't work."

"Fool, I'm the Ghost Zone's greatest predator! Nothing could escape my traps!"

"If that were true, Phantom would be dead right now. Face it, loser, you're just second rate."

Skulker responded to that taunt by pulling out a small remote and pressing a button.

With that, several sparks erupted from the ghost girl's neck, and she screamed in pain before falling to the ground.

It was at that point that Danny realized something: Ember was wearing a collar. The metallic band had blended so well with her pale skin he had failed to notice. He also realized the collar was a lot like the one Walker had used on Wulf and had threatened to use on Sam.

"Don't disrespect me!" the hunter snapped. "It's thanks to me that the ghost child will be nothing but a pelt on my wall. It's more than I can say for you."

"We should help her," Danny whispered.

"Didn't you say she was one of your enemies?" Valerie protested. "She got herself into this. Let's just clean out the lab and go."

"We still should help her. We can't be selective on who we save."

"We don't have time for this. Danni, try to talk some sense into your brother…Danni?"

It seems Danielle had a lot of similarities with the boy she was cloned from. One of which was the need to help anybody in danger. She had already made a move to do something about it.

And that something was an ectoblast to Skulker's back. Not expecting this, the hunter whirled around.

Danny, who was not about to let his sister get killed, greeted him with a punch to the face. The Ghost Zone's greatest hunter flew across the room, crashing into a TV set and reducing it to scrap.

"Well, so much for stealth. Valerie, get Ember and get out of here!" With that, he charged toward his most persistent enemy, hoping to get another hit in before he recovered.

He failed. Skulker was on his mechanical feet and ready with a wrist cannon. A blast knocked his long time prey out of the air.

"You're going to regret coming here, whelp," he said, aiming once more.

Fortunately for Danny, his cannon was blown to scrap by Danielle, who followed up the attack with another blast to the chest. The hunter, who didn't expect a second opponent, was hit dead on.

Meanwhile, Valerie went to help Ember up, but she found herself being pushed away.

"Get away from me," the rocker spat.

"I would, but I'm under orders to help you. Now come on," the Red Hunter said impatiently.

"I'm not accepting help from that dipstick," Ember screeched, attempting to push her would be helper away again.

"I hate to do this…actually, no I don't." With that, Valerie activated her wrist cannon and fired a cord out from it, the same cord she had used on Danny when she had fooled Danielle. It wrapped around Ember's arm and produced a shock that knocked her out cold.

Her job complete, Valerie slung the ghost over her shoulder and quickly headed for the exit.

Skulker, meanwhile, activated his shoulder missile launchers and fired, which sent several projectiles flying in all directions. To his displeasure, both halfas remained unharmed, with his furniture getting destroyed instead.

Then he noticed what Valerie was doing.

"Put her down," he demanded, aiming his other wrist cannon.

Seconds later, however, his arm was completely separated from the rest of his suit, courtesy of Danny. As several wires sparked the half ghost pushed his adversary up against the wall by his collar.

"Why are you working for Walker?" he demanded.

He received a punch in the gut as a response.

As the ghost child went flying back, Skulker realized he couldn't win this fight. So, he pulled out a small device, activated it, and threw it to the ground.

"Another day, Ghost Child," he said. With that, Skulker ran toward the back exit of his base.

Danny looked down at the device…and his eyes widened with horror.

00:18

00:17

00:16

"Oh crud. Danni, let's get out of here!"

In a flash both halfas were flying through Skulker's faux jungle.

They managed to reach the edge just before it was destroyed, reduced to ash and twisted steel.

* * *

"Well, that was a waste of time," Valerie muttered, now back in the Fenton living room.

"Not necessarily," Danny cut in. "We managed to help Ember."

Whatever Valerie had to say in response to that was drowned out by a shouting fit coming from the lab.

"Like I said, a waste of time," the huntress muttered as she and Danny headed downstairs.

Jack and Maddie, being the intelligent if not slightly crazy scientists they were, managed to get the collar off Ember before she woke up. They then proceeded to run several tests to make sure she was alright.

Unfortunately, once the singer woke up she was not a happy camper. The result? Her throwing every object she could get her hands on in various directions and sending the members of Team Phantom scattering.

"You're too nice for your own good," Sam muttered as she ran toward her boyfriend.

"Danny, make her stop!" Jazz pleaded.

Giving a sigh, Danny began approaching the enraged ghost carefully.

"Ember, calm down, we're trying to help you."

Ember responded with a few words that resulted in Jazz quickly covering Danielle's ears. "I don't need your help, dipstick."

"Ember, will you quit being so proud and let us help you!"

"Why should I? Give me one good reason."

"I could give you a good reason," Maddie said, emerging from behind a machine she had been using as cover.

"Oh yeah, what?" Ember sneered.

"Well, after running the tests, I found out something a bit…shocking. Ember…you're pregnant."

Dead silence greeted that statement as nearly everyone, Ember included, gaped. "What?" the singer demanded.

"You mean…Skulker…" Danny began, but the glare he received from the female ghost encouraged him to shut up.

After the room remained silent for a few more moments Maddie spoke. "Ember…I understand you have a lot of pride, and that's fine…when it's just you. But if you're going to keep that child, and judging from your reaction I'm sure you are, you need to start thinking about what's best for it. If that means giving up on your pride, then that's what you have to do."

The room was silent for another moment. 

"Alright," the girl said at last. "I'll play nice…for now."

Danny gave a sigh of relief. At least she had calmed down for awhile. Still, he was hoping things would get less complicated once Vlad was out of the picture. The way things were going, it looked like his problems had just begun.

* * *

To say Skulker was angry would be an understatement. To say he was offended would be putting it mildly.

The Ghost Child had made him angry before with his cocky attitude and his victories over him, but this was an outrage. Infiltrating his island and stealing Ember…_his_ Ember…he would make that freak suffer.

"Well, Skulker, looks like Phantom made a fool of you again," Walker sneered. "What's worse, now they have access to my technology. With that collar they could figure out a way to free the rest of my prisoners."

"He won't live long enough to figure it out," Skulker vowed. "The next time I see that whelp he'll be nothing more than a pelt."

"Gee, how many times have I heard that?" the warden jeered, earning a glare.

"It doesn't matter," a new voice said from the shadows. As the warden and the hunter turned, a pair of bright red eyes met theirs.

"That child may have destroyed your precious lab, but I assure you it's only a minor setback. Soon, we will all retrieve what Phantom took from us. He may think he's in control, but I've already planted the seeds to his defeat.

"Soon, very soon, we will have our revenge."


	7. Popularity

A/N: Alright, I terribly apologize for the unannounced hiatus of this fic. A combination of things, including college, my love for video games, writer's block, and my own personal problems has prevented me from updating. So, I thank you all for your patience.

However, to all who sent me "reviews" that just told me to hurry up, please don't do this. I try to be regular, and things will be ready when they're ready.

That said, one other note. For storytelling purposes, I'm bumping Danielle's age down to eleven and putting her in the sixth grade. In Amity Park, sixth grade will be elementary school. Alright, I'm done. Enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom and all related characters copyright Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon, Viacom, and Billionfold Studios.

* * *

Danny was adjusting to life as a known superhero rather well. Still, his new morning routine was still a bit foreign to him.

Before, an alarm clock or, more frequently, a ghost attack, would rise the hybrid from the warmth of his bed sheets. Now, it was the daily unceremonious arrival of a ninety pound lump slamming onto his stomach.

"Wakey, wakey," Danielle said as she leapt from the floor and unto her brother. With an 'oof' the senior halfa sat straight up, trying to get air back into his diaphragm. When he finally recovered, he looked down at his genetic copy, sitting Indian style on his chest.

"Why do I put up with you?" he asked.

In response, the girl batted her eyelashes. "Because you love me," she said in a cutesy fashion.

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled as he ruffled her hair.

"Mom told me to wake you. We're supposed to go to school today."

School. After the last two weeks of globe hopping and government work, something so normal sounded almost…welcome. At the same time, however, it caused a knot to form in his stomach. Today was the day he had to face it. Up until know he had either been at a private function or doing something for the DGA or the Integration Plan, so his location was kept secret. This time, however, he actually had to go out in public. For the first time, he had to deal with his secret being exposed.

Thanks to the Reality Gauntlet incident, he knew full well what the A-list reaction would be. And the one he had worried most about, Valerie, was already at peace with him. Still, the fact he was going to be followed around all day, get begged for autographs, and have a harem of girls professing their love to him made him nervous. Though he had to admit the last one sounded somewhat appealing, but his relationship with Sam meant all those girls were off limits. Even if they weren't, they all loved him for the wrong reasons.

"Danny?" Danielle asked, noticing her brother's spaced out look. "Are you okay?"

The elder hero gave a wan smile. "I'm fine, just worried is all," he said, giving the girl a peck on the forehead.

"What, worried about whatever Walker's up to?"

Danny winced as that thought entered his mind. After the botched raid on Skulker's island they had raided Technus' lab, only to find it had already been cleaned out. With no other leads and Walker's jail being nigh impenetrable, it looked like the only thing that could be done was a stake out of the facility in question until the attack could be launched.

"No, about going out in public for the first time since I got exposed. Speaking of which, I need you out of here, kiddio, I've got to change."

Danni nodded and leapt to the floor, speeding out of the room. Content, the elder halfa began changing.

Danni, meanwhile, phased through the floor and into the kitchen, where she found her mother, Jazz, and Ember already eating. It took some talking, but Danny, Jack, and Maddie convinced the singer to stay at Fentonworks until they had properly dealt with Skulker. Plus, they wanted to study a ghost's pregnancy.

Still, Ember's attitude had barely improved from day one. Danny had made it a point to be on his guard whenever she was in the same room as him. You never knew when she was going to fly into a rage. Danielle knew this as well, so she quickly grabbed a piece of toast off the table and flew back to her room.

As she munched her breakfast she began packing her backpack. Today was when she went to school as well, for the first time ever. However, unlike her brother, she wasn't at all nervous. Part of this came from the fact that she enjoyed the attention that Danny dreaded, and another part simply because she wanted to actually go to school, something Vlad hadn't allowed. In fact, she was wondering what could possibly ruin this for her.

* * *

_Green…the children…can you here their pain? Feel their pain!_

Sam bolted out of bed, the remnants of her latest nightmare still ringing in her ear. As she struggled to catch her breath, her mind began wandering back to her dream. It was just like the visions she received a few days ago. What did they mean?

Before she could contemplate it any farther her alarm clock went off, surprising her. She realized it was almost time for school. In a flash she was out of bed, hurriedly getting dressed. She'd worry about this later.

* * *

"Well, here we are, Danni. Now, remember…"

"Don't show off my powers, remember the difference between friends and fans, and if someone makes fun of me, don't try to get back at them. I got it," the younger hybrid snapped in frustration as she left Jazz's car and began walking toward Casper Elementary. The previous day Danny, who wanted to make sure his little sister didn't make the same mistakes he did, took her aside and gave her a rather long lecture about using her powers responsibly, how to tell a good friend from a fair-weather one, and several other things she should remember at school. While she was glad her elder sibling was watching out for her, she was finding it kind of annoying.

Still, as she rushed to the door, she called out "Love ya, bye!"

"Bye!" Danny and Jazz called as they drove off.

Satisfied, Danni turned around…only to come to the halt when she saw what appeared to be a metal hook right in front of her.

"Hold it, you bilge-cat," Youngblood demanded.

"That's bilge-rat," Parrot sighed

"Uh…who are you?" Danielle asked, a little freaked out.

"The name's Youngblood, and I recognize you. You're Phantom's sister, aren't you?"

"Uh…yeah. What business is it of yours?" Danni asked.

"I be one of yer brother's old enemies."

The young clone cocked an eyebrow. "You? You look a little puny to have gone a few rounds with my bro."

"Hey!" the pirate ghost demanded, dropping his accent. "I had Phantom on the ropes once!"

"Sure…then how come he's never told me about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he's mentioned Skulker, Technus, Walker, Spectra, Ember, Johnny 13, Desiree, Pariah Dark, Undergrowth, Vortex, Nocturne, Amorpho, the Box Ghost, the Lunch Lady, Prince Aragon, Freakshow, Lydia, and Hotep-Ra, but _you_ never came up."

"What? But…I had the best plan to defeat Phantom! I made him look crazy!"

"Sure you did. Look, are there any other ghost kids here? Any that are less crazy?"

"Nope. According to the school board, we're the only two ghosts here. You see…"

Youngblood trailed off as both he and Danielle realized something. They were getting a lot of stares and whispers from the other kids. A few were beginning to approach them.

"…This might be a problem," Danielle sighed.

* * *

As bad as Danielle had it, it paled in comparison to what Danny, Sam, and Jazz had to endure. As Jazz pulled up to the school, her car was instantly surrounded by a mob of reporters, each wanting an interview with the famous ghost boy.

"Danny, Danny! Can you tell us the progress on Walker?"

"Danny, can you tell us how you got your powers?"

"Danny, can you tell us your thoughts on…"

Danny responded to all these questions by grabbing Sam's arm and turning them both invisible.

The reporters stopped and groaned when they realized that their target had disappeared. Almost immediately, however, one of them spoke up. "He couldn't have gone far!"

Almost instantly the mob perked up. They quickly scattered in all directions, hoping to hunt down the still elusive ghost boy.

After they had all scattered, Danny and Sam reappeared. The lovebirds had never left the car, knowing that the reporters would never think to look there.

Danny shook his head. "Those people are vultures."

"I suggest we get inside before they get back," his girlfriend commented as she climbed out of Jazz's convertible, her carmates following her lead. However, before they could even take a step toward the school, they were interrupted by a surprise visitor.

"Mr. Fenton," a voice called. Danny turned and was surprised to see a member of the DGA walking toward him. "I'm Agent Marmel."

"Nice to meet you," he said, shaking his hand. "Um, not to be rude, but what are you doing here? Has there been a breakthrough with Walker?"

"No, I've been ordered to escort you into the building."

That statement earned three puzzled looks. "Why would I need escorting?"

Danny was answered by a loud rabble. At that point, the three teens noticed a large group of people advancing toward them. However, these people clearly weren't fans.

In fact, they looked rather angry. The hybrid realized that they were protesters. They were holding picket signs with slogans like "Eliminate Ectoplasm," "Down With Phantom," and various other anti-ghost sayings. It looked like only the police line that had been set up was keeping them under any control.

Sam was the first to find her voice. "Who are they?"

Marmel sighed. "A group calling themselves the Order for Ghost Suppression. They're trying to stop ghosts from exercising their new rights. We're worried that they might turn violent."

"Can't you do something about them?" Jazz pleaded.

"I'm afraid not," the agent shook his head. "It's their right to protest. As long as they don't turn violent, there's little we can do."

"Buy…they're a hate group!" Jazz protested. "Can they really…"

"Just forget it," Danny spoke up at last.

Jazz and Sam gave him incredulous looks. "But Danny, how can you let them…?"

"They're just a bunch of idiots blowing smoke. If they want to protest, let them. I don't care."

"Wow, that's surprisingly mature of you," Marmel commented.

The hybrid shrugged. "It's better than when ghost haters were shooting at me. And anyway…wait," he said as a horrible thought crossed his mind. "Are these guys at the elementary school too?"

"No, since the most ghosts involved, including you, are enrolled here, they're concentrating here."

The ghost boy sighed in relief. "At least Danielle is safe. Now, let's get inside before the press gets back."

"Uh, well," Marmel said, nervously, "even though the press isn't allowed on school grounds, I doubt you'll get any relief inside."

"Don't tell me, raging fans?" Danny asked in monotone. Marmel only nodded. "Well, let's get this over with."

As promised, Marmel escorted them to the doors. Danny pushed them open, eager to see the familiar halls of Casper High.

He didn't see this. What he saw was a wave of fan girls.

"Danny, Danny, will you go out with me?"

"Danny, what's your favorite restaurant? We can have the perfect date there!"

"I don't care what your favorite restaurant is, I just want to marry you!"

For the second time that day, the halfa found himself relying on his powers. In this case, it was both invisibility and intangibility, which the trio used to literally walk through the crowd unnoticed. As the mob was left wondering what happened to their target, Danny, his sister, and his girlfriend reappeared around the corner in another hallway.

"That was close," the hybrid commented as he peered around the corner. Seeing that the girls were still confused, he quickly turned to head to class.

However, he found himself face-to-face with the biggest fan girl of all.

"Hey, Danny," Paulina cooed, closing the gap between him and the ghost boy.

Danny gulped. Sam fumed. Jazz looked amused.

"Uh, hi Paulina," the boy said slowly.

"You know, I think I've finally wrapped my mind around 'Paulina Fenton.'" The Latina said as she walked her fingers up his chest.

Danny was blushing. Jazz was barely holding Sam back, who was attempting to kill her rival.

"Uh, Paulina, I'm flattered, really, but…I already have a girlfriend."

Instantly the high school queen's flirtatious face disappeared. Her eyes doubled in size, her mouth gaped. "…who?"

Sam, who had witnessed this, walked rather smugly over to her boyfriend and draped an arm over his neck. "Me," she said simply before giving her long time crush a kiss on the lips.

In retrospect, not a smart move. Paulina went from surprised to angry in a matter of seconds.

"You bitch!" she shrieked before lunging at the goth, knocking her to the ground. Suddenly, they were fighting each other with a ferocity that would have left some of Danny's enemies shocked.

"Man, it's a good thing Tucker's stuck in that office," Jazz commented, "This would have been too much for him."

Danny silently agreed as he attempted to pry his girlfriend off of his former crush.

_Today is not going to be fun.

* * *

_Danny had finally made it to class, and was ready to learn. 

But no learning was taking place.

It might have had something to do with the fact that everyone, including the teacher, was staring at him with a huge grin on his face.

"Uh…I never thought I'd say this, but…shouldn't we be learning something?"

"Say your catchphrase, Danny!" a student screamed.

The hybrid sighed. "Goin' Ghost," he said without any of his usual enthusiasm. Regardless, it caused the entire class to cheer.

Danny buried his head into his hands. _Lord,_ he prayed, _please do something to end this._

"Excuse me," Agent Marmel interrupted, coming into the classroom, "I need to speak with Mr. Fenton and his teammates."

_Hallelujah, _the hybrid responded as he quickly dashed out of the room, followed closely by Sam and Valerie.

"So, what's up?" Danny asked.

"We've made a breakthrough in the Walker mission," Marmel stated simply as he handed the hero a few photos. Each of them featured the warden's guards, but something stood out. Each photo had been marked with a circle around their wrists.

Upon closer inspection, Danny realized what was being circled. On the wrists of every guard was wearing an armband that wasn't part of their usual uniform. The fact that it was a sinister red color instead of the usual green was the biggest clue.

"After some surveillance, we've discovered that these armbands are what allow them to get into the prison. If we can figure out how they work, we can launch a surprise attack."

"Great," Valerie muttered, "So how do we do that?"

"We were hoping you had some ideas," the agent admitted.

"You now," Danny said, rubbing his chin, "I think I do."

* * *

Danielle and Youngblood peered nervously from behind the tree at the back of the playground. After a few seconds, Youngblood whispered, "I think we lost them."

Both ghosts sighed in relief as they sat down. It wasn't easy being the only ghosts in a school filled with normal kids. They were caught between students who thought they were the coolest things ever and those who had parents who shared similar views as the OGS. Which is why, when the recess bell rang, they quickly turned invisible and didn't reappear until they were as far away from their fellow students as possible.

"I can see why Danny wanted to give me that speech," the youngest halfa said as she got comfortable.

"So, do you fight on Phantom's team or something?"

"Yep," she answered proudly. "Danny and Valerie say I'm a good shot."

"I bet you're not better than me."

"Oh yeah? I bet I am!"

"Prove it!"

"Fine, give me a target!"

The ghost pirate looked around for a moment before pointing to the sky. "That bird."

"I'm not going to shoot a bird!"

"Why? Can't do it?"

"No, I just don't want to hurt a poor bird."

"Man, you really are Phantom's clone, you're such a goody-goody!"

"That's better than being a little jerk."

"Yeah, well you're stupid!"

"No, you're stupid!"

"No, you're stupid!"

"No, you're stupid!"

"No, you're stupid!"

"No, you're stupid!"

"You're both stupid," Parrot shouted. "Now will you both put a sock in it?"

"…Would you object to using a skeleton bird for a target?"

"Nope," Danni answered, powering up an ectoblast.

Parrot decided now would be an excellent time to fly very quickly.

* * *

Amorpho had finished his last class that day when Danny phased into his classroom.

"Ah, Jimmy, what can I do for you?"

"Okay, first off, it's Danny, and secondly, I need a favor. Can you do an undercover mission?"

* * *

Valerie looked through her binoculars at the foreboding prison. "Alright," she said, turning to Amorpho. "You know what to do?"

In response, the shape shifter morphed his form. His form became broader and more muscular, his usual red and black became green and gray. In a matter of seconds, he was a perfect duplicate of one of Walker's guards.

"I go in and see if I can get one of those wristbands, or at least figure out how they work. Now, are you sure I'll get my picture in the paper for this?"

The ghost hunter rolled her eyes. The only way Danny could convince the changeling to go through with the mission was to promise some good coverage on his "heroic exploits," as he put it. "Yeah, I'm sure, now hurry up and go."

Amorpho needed no second bidding. He floated toward the prison. As he neared the gigantic metal doors, he noticed an intercom button next to them. Nervously, he pressed the button and spoke. "Uh…pardon me, uh…sir…"

"What are you doing?" Bullet's voice came from the other side. "Why don't you let yourself in?"

"Uh, well…you see, I…lost my gear."

"What? How could you do something so stupid?"

"I was…attacked by a Behemoth while on patrol. I got away, but it destroyed my gear. Please, let me in!"

"…What's you identification number?" Walker's second in command asked skeptically.

Amorpho froze with fear. "Um…four ten eighty eight?"

There was silence. "…Ah, here you are. Alright, I'm opening the doors. Another guard will be waiting to give you replacement gear. Unless you're hurt, get back to work afterward."

Even though he didn't need to, the undercover ghost breathed a sigh of relief as the barriers opened. As Bullet promised, another, seemingly identical guard was waiting with an armband, handcuffs, a notepad, and a nightstick.

"Man, you're lucky," the guard commented. "Not many ghosts get attacked by a Behemoth and leave in one piece."

"Um, yeah…can I get my gear back?"

"Yeah, you probably want to get back on patrol quick," the ghost said, handing him the nightstick. "With Walker's mood lately, it's best we stay on schedule."

"Yes. Anyway, nice security plan with these wristbands," Amorpho commented, trying to sound natural.

"I'll say. That Technus may talk too much, but he's a genius. Heck, I'll bet no one can guess that these bands don't really do anything."

That perked the disguised ghost's curiosity. "Really?"

"Yeah. It just looks out for Technus' signature. It's on all his inventions. Of course, by the time anyone figured that out, our weapon would be ready."

Amorpho blinked as he secured the band around his wrist. "Yes, interesting. Well, I must return to my patrol." With that he turned around to exit only to find another guard blocking his path.

"Guard number four ten eighty eight, reporting for signing out."

Amorpho froze. The other guard arched an eyebrow. "Four ten eighty eight? Wasn't that the number you gave?" he said to Amorpho.

"Uh…no?"

"And you didn't have your gear…"

Before the faux ghost could reply, both guards grabbed him, holding his arms. One of them relieved him of his gear. As they did this, Bullet walked up to them. "I heard everything from upstairs. Apparently we have a spy. Take him to questioning."

Before either guard could comply, Amorpho was suddenly gone.

"Huh? What the?"

"Where is he?"

"He's not invisible!"

At that point, Bullet looked down and saw a ghostly mouse scurrying across the floor. He grabbed the nightstick and fired it at the rodent. The rat dodged, then transformed back into Amorpho. Before any guard could react, the ghost with no face was out the doors.

As he flew, alarms blared, and blasts were fired, both from the guard's nightsticks and the turrets on the prison walls. Still, their efforts were in vain. The shape shifter was gone.

* * *

"So, all we need is a piece of Technus' tech?" Danny mused. Amorpho was now safe in the Ops Center, which now contained himself, Danny, Maddie, Jack, Jazz, Valerie, Danielle, Sam, Agents Kaufman and Marmel, and, much to Danny's chagrin, Youngblood.

"That's the case, Freddy."

"It's Danny!"

"Well, that's great, but it's useless without any actual tech," Kaufman pointed out.

"Yep. Fortunately, we happen to have a whole suit's worth," the hybrid commented, motioning to Valerie, who activated her suit for emphasis. "Gentlemen, we launch an attack at four o'clock tomorrow."

"Andy," Amorpho began.

"It's Danny!"

"Whatever. As I was saying…count me in!"

* * *

"So let me get this straight," Walker said to a very nervous Bullet. Skulker and Technus stood by, silently angry as well. "A spy knows the secret to our security? One that might work for Phantom?"

"Y-yes," Bullet stuttered.

Walker was silent. "Fortunately for you, we're already ready for them. In fact, Phantom coming here was part of the plan. Tomorrow, that punk is going to regret crossing Charles Walker."

"No," a voice said. Still in the shadows of the office, Walker's silent partner lurked. "The ghost child is mine. It will be me who finishes him off.

"He may not know it, but he's already lost."

* * *

Morning at the Manson residence had become an awkward time. Jeremy and Pamela still weren't happy their daughter was out fighting ghosts, much less dating one. Still, they were trying to keep an open mind about it.

Sam had just finished her breakfast and was midway to the sink when it happened.

Green…green 

_Suffering…_

_The children are suffering…_

THE CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING! 

"Sam?" Jeremy asked.

Suddenly, the goth fell to the floor, her plate breaking on the floor beside her.

"Sam!" Pamela shrieked as she dashed over to her daughter, her husband following.

"Sammy-kins, are you okay? Sammy? Sammy? SAAAAAAAAAM!"


	8. Kidnapping

A/N: See? Next chapter's up quicker.

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom and all related characters copyright Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon, Viacom, and Billionfold Studios.

* * *

Jazz Fenton had always wanted to be a psychologist, and since she was the elder sister of Danny Phantom, she figured she could be the first expert in ghost psychology. 

Of course, the problem was a shortage of test subjects she could use for research. Which is why she had talked Ember down until she had agreed to a session.

She had recorded the whole thing in an audio file that she had stored on her laptop. Since there was still quite some time before school started, she decided to listen to it once again.

"Okay, Ember. Why don't we begin by hearing about your human life. Are you okay with that?"

"_Yeah, whatever. I was born back in 1985. When I was alive, my name was Amber McLain._

"_I had always been interested in music. I learned how to play a guitar in middle school. That's also when I began writing my own songs. My plan was to try to sell a few songs and become a teen singer. But my parents said no. They told me I should focus on more realistic goals and avoid that kind of lifestyle. They wouldn't even let me attempt to sell my songs._

"_I was mad, but at the time I accepted it. I figured they were probably on to something. Lots of singers went from being filthy rich to flat broke, and there were all kinds of problems like drug use. I figured it would probably be a good idea to go to college first and be able to get a real job._

"_So I eventually went to college. Even when I was studying, I still had an interest in music. I kept writing songs and practicing. I figured I could try to sell them in a few years. But that was before I met... him._

"_His name was Adam, and he was the big man on campus. Every girl, including me, wanted to date him, so I was flattered when he asked me out. We went to a fancy restaurant. He paid for everything. It was so romantic. After the date, we went back to my dorm. My roommate was out, so we had the place to ourselves. One thing led to another, and before long..." she trailed off._

"_It's alright, I think I know what you're saying," Jazz said comfortingly._

_Ember sighed and continued. "When I woke up the next morning, he was gone. He left a note promising to call me. But he didn't. Ever. For two long weeks I didn't even see him on campus._

"_Then, after fourteen days, I heard it on the radio. My songs. My songs being sung by some slut who was getting all the credit for writing them. And then I herd her manager's name...Adam. I realized what happened. When we were in my dorm, he stole copies of my songs while I was asleep. I had noticed the copies had been missing, but I didn't think much of it. I was never really organized, so I figured I might have accidentally thrown them out._

"_I eventually ran into Adam again and confronted him. He admitted to stealing my work, but he was smug about it. He said there was nothing I could do about it._

"_He was right. No one believed me, even with my original copies. The record company brushed me off as some stupid teenager. Those over-thirties just laughed at me._

"_Needless to say, I was pissed. One night, I snapped. I went to Adam's apartment where he and his singer girlfriend were staying. I broke in, doused the place with gasoline, and lit it on fire. They burned to ashes, but I got caught in the blaze and burned as well._

"_I woke up in the Ghost Zone as a ghost. I was pissed. I blamed my parents for holding me back, Adam and his new girl for cheating me, and those old idiots at the record company for driving me crazy. I began to hate men and the over-thirties as a result._

"_Before long, I realized the powers I had as a ghost. I could cast spells with music. I remember Desiree calling it music magic once, she said there were other creatures like me. Once I mastered my powers, I formed a plan._

"_I went to Earth and began to cast my hypnotic music on everyone. I though I had everything planned out. What I hadn't counted on was that dipstick getting in my way._

"_I lost. And I was angry. I immediately decided to get revenge. While I was thinking of what to do, I ran into Youngblood. Since he hated adults as much as I did, we worked together for our next plot...and lost again. I ran when we lost, but he caught me just before Pariah Dark was freed._

"_I decided to wait a while before I launched my next plan. It was around that time I started dating Skulker. Like just about every other relationship I've been in, it was based on social status. Next to Plasmius, Skulker was the most influential ghost in the Wasteland, and that's why I dated him. But we were always arguing. The incident where Spectra, Kitty, and me attacked Amity Park was out of frustration of the whole thing._

"_When the Disasteroid came and went, Skulker began working with Walker to get rid of Phantom. During the planning I found out something Skulker had kept from me. When we started dating he told me that big suit was his real form. Then I found out he was a pathetic blob of ectoplasm underneath it all._

"_I felt cheated again. I immediately broke up with him...or at least I tried." At this point, Ember's voice actually began to tremble. It was surreal to someone who knew her as a control-seeking villainess._

"_He used that collar from Walker's gear to keep me on his island. He started hitting me...and he actually..."_

"_Um, I'm kind of wondering...how does that..."_

"_He said once that his suit 'extends his biotic components' or something like that. Basically, it can do anything an actual body can do._

"_I was stuck there, but I kept scheming on ways to get out. That's when Phantom and his friends showed up."_

"Good, good," Jazz commented. "We're making some real progress. Now, tell me..." 

Before Jazz could hear anything else, a series of shouts and clamber from downstairs interrupted her. Immediately sensing that something was wrong, she dashed down the stairs, only to find an alarming sight. A team of paramedics was carrying Sam, unconscious on a stretcher, down to her parents' lab. In all the confusion the eldest Fenton child managed to find her little sister.

"Danni, what's going on?"

"Sam fainted this morning!" she cried. "The Manson medical staff looked her over and found out she had tons of ectoplasm in her, so they brought her here for treatment."

With that, the Fenton sisters dashed down into the lab, where Jack, Maddie, Jeremy, Pamela, Danny, and Ember were already gathered.

"What's wrong with her?" Pamela cried.

"Give us a minute to run some tests," Maddie said, trying to sound comforting.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" the normally proper woman screeched. "My little girl is lying unconscious with all that junk in her, how am I supposed to…AAH! What's happening to her?"

What was happening was that Sam was beginning to fade away. Both Danny and Jeremy made a grab for her, but they only managed to grab thin air. Samantha Manson disappeared.

"What happened to her?" Jeremy demanded.

"I don't know," Danny answered. He was rewarded with Mr. Manson grabbing his shirt and shaking him roughly.

"What do you mean, you don't know? I thought you knew these things!" the blonde shouted before Jack and Maddie restrained him.

"Like I said, I don't know. Maybe I can ask Clockwork about this…"

At that point, Agent Kaufman came running into the lab. "Mister Fenton, an urgent call came in for you," he stated, holding an open cell phone.

"Tell whoever it is to take a number, I'm busy."

"But it's from Walker!"

That got the halfa's attention. "Well…can you put someone else on it? My girlfriend just disappeared."

"Actually, he says it's about Ms. Manson."

Before anyone realized it, Danny had the phone up to his ear, with Sam's parents leaning in so they could listen to the conversation.

"Where is she?" the hybrid demanded.

"I see you haven't learned any respect for me, punk," Walker said smugly. "Lack of respect is against the rules."

"I'm not in the mood for games. Just tell me where she is."

"Alright, I won't beat around the bush. She's a guest in my prison. You're welcome to try and get her. It'll amuse me."

"Walker, you better hope the DGA arrests you before I find you, because when I get my hands on you…"

"Promises, promises," the warden taunted. "Come get her if you dare." With that, he hung up.

Immediately Danny turned to Kaufman. "Get your team ready. We're moving in now."

* * *

Less than an hour later, the attack was in position. Team Phantom, minus Sam and including Amorpho, was stationed with a dozen DGA agents. Outside the prison were several of Walker's guards, ready for their arrival. 

"Okay, my men will handle the guards," Kaufman said to a still angry Danny. "I'll join your team for the infiltration," He then turned his attention to the rest of his men. "Remember mission objectives: capture or eliminate rogues Skulker, Technus, Walker, and Bullet, rescue Team Phantom member Samantha Manson." The other agents nodded in response.

With that, Danny took over. "Alright, everyone, let's move."

Just like that, it began.

A minute later, it was a battlefield. The DGA agents were locked in combat, while Team Phantom moved toward the jail's entrance. Even as they moved, Kaufman was shouting at his men. "Marmel, Moon, handle that section! Collins, Paulsen, cover us! We're almost inside!"

Ectoblasts from the guard's nightsticks whizzed past their heads as Danny, Jazz, Danielle, Valerie, Jack, Maddie, Amorpho passed through the doorway that gave entrance to the foreboding prison. Almost immediately after entering, the doors began to close behind them.

But the group didn't notice that detail. At least, not at that moment, because they were far too preoccupied by another sight.

"Well, well, punk, glad you could make it," Walker said tauntingly. The warden was standing with Bullet, Technus, and Skulker. But there was something different about them.

In place of their usual clothes, they were wearing a sinister looking armor. It appeared to be a sleeker, sharper version of the Fenton Battle Suit that Danny had used to battle the Ghost King so long ago. It was colored pitch black, with red lining in various places.

"Where's Sam?" Danny demanded, not giving their new fashion a single thought.

"In a hurry to die, punk? Fine. She's right down that hall," the lawman said, gesturing to a corridor behind him. "Go get her."

Danny was stunned. "You're letting me go to her? Just like that?"

"Just like that," Walker said, giving him an insincere smile.

"No!" Skulker shouted, summoning a glowing red blade from the wrist of his armor. "I want to be the one who skins the ghost child! He's going to pay for destroying my island!"

"Come off it, the ghost child's as good as dead when he enters that room," Walker ordered. "Go on, punk. Take her back...if you can."

Danny arched an eyebrow. This was suspicious.

"Go on, Danny," Jack said, charging up his ectogun "We can take care of these ghosts."

Danny only hesitated a moment longer before flying down the corridor.

"Ha! Foolish humans! I, Technus, master of all things electronic and deadly, designed these suits myself!"

"You stole the plans from Plasmius' lab, and he stole them from the Fentons," Skulker commented dryly.

"It doesn't matter!" the scientist snapped. "These suits still enhance our natural abilities! They'll be more than enough to finish you all off!

* * *

"Hey Danni, ready for school?" Youngblood asked as he phased through Fentonworks' front door. He didn't knock, but he was never one for politeness anyway. "Danni? Where is everyone?" 

At that point, noise reached his ears. It sounded like someone throwing up. He quickly flew toward the source.

What he saw surprised him. His old partner, Ember McLain, was emptying the contents of her stomach in the Fenton's toilet. By her side was a properly dressed woman, rubbing her back and soothing her discomfort.

"Ember?" the young ghost asked incredulously.

Both women turned to face him. "Oh, great," the singer muttered. "The small fry."

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Pamela demanded.

"I'm Youngblood, and I came to see if Danielle wanted to walk to school."

"You're too late, she left with her brother to take out Walker," Ember muttered, moving to the sink to brush her teeth.

"What? She said I could come with her to do that! Man, that bites!"

"Watch your language, young man," Pamela scolded, but she was ignored.

"I know how you feel," the rocker sighed. "Skulker's lucky I can't fight until the baby's born, or else I'd castrate him with a butter knife."

"Watch your mouth around a child," the older lady said, but not with much enthusiasm. Truth be told, she couldn't blame Ember for wanting to get into the action. When she heard where her daughter was, both her and Jeremy wanted to grab a gun and head out, but Kaufman had managed to talk them out of it. Still, they were both highly anxious to hear of Sam's condition.

_Daniel,_ she thought, _if you save my little girl, I'll take back every bad thing I've said about you.

* * *

_Danny flew through the corridor until he finally came upon a single door. Without thinking, he flew straight in.

What he saw stopped him dead in his tracks.

Unlike every other room in the prison, this place was covered with flora. Vines snaked up the walls and hung from the ceiling. Exotic flowers bloomed in every corner. A huge oak tree grew in one corner.

Danny saw none of this.

What he saw was Sam…but at the same time, it wasn't. It was a version of Sam he had encountered once before.

And right behind her was a terrifying figure.

"I thank you for taking care of my daughter," Undergrowth said, "but don't think you'll win this time. It's time you learned, child, respect for the Growth."


	9. Opponents

A/N: Well, here it is. Major battle, part 1. The other half is next chapter.

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom and all related characters copyright Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon, Viacom, and Billionfold Studios.

* * *

When Undergrowth had come into existence, millions of years ago, he hadn't hated humans. In fact, the biggest source of his frustration weren't even in existence. 

Undergrowth was old. In fact, rumor had it he was only slightly younger than Clockwork himself, which wasn't too far off. He had been quite good friends with the omnipotent ghost, and had assisted the Ancients in ridding the Ghost Zone of Pariah Dark. No one would have thought he would go rouge.

When life began on Earth, he was commissioned by the Observants to make sure vegetation grew. He cared for his "children" much like he wanted to do today. Still, he wasn't too thrilled with the purpose of his mission. His job was to make sure the animal that eventually appeared on the planet had enough to eat. He hated the thought, but accepted it. The basic law of nature was eat or be eaten, after all. Still, he wondered why his employers were so concerned with such mindless beasts.

It was sixty five million years ago when something unexpected happened. A meteor crashed into the planet. The results were several climate changes, which killed many of the plants he cared for, and several creatures as an extension. Angrily, he went before the Observant High Council and demanded why they hadn't seen this coming. Imagine his outrage when they calmly told him, as if it were no big deal that they not only knew it was coming, but they were actually counting on it.

Undergrowth was consumed with rage. He was ready to pull his children off of Earth, but he was stopped by Clockwork, who convinced him to continue his duty, assuring him that his children would triumph over their current hardships.

He turned out to be right. The plants adapted, and new species began to emerge. New animals came forth as well. Among them was an interesting race known as man.

Clockwork told him as soon as they appeared that humans would eventually become Earth's first sentient species. Undergrowth couldn't decide if he believed that or not, they seemed to be just as dumb as any other species.

But they grew, and multiplied. It got to the point where they couldn't simply live in caves, but had to forge artificial dwellings. This is where his problems with humans began.

Mostly, they built their homes from stone, but some of the poorer humans were required to use his children in construction. And no matter what they were made of, wherever these home were built usually involved leveling off an area, which resulted in more deaths of his own.

Still, remembering Clockwork's assurances, the plant ghost bore it. But as the centuries passed, humans got more and more wasteful with their resources.

Then came the 1900s.

That was the decade humans truly went from resource conscious to carelessly destructive. Factories sprung up, polluting the air and sea. Coal was burned, and cities continued to grow to accommodate the ever more expanding population. Humans stopped caring about the damage they did in favor of their worship to the almighty dollar, and Undergrowth wasn't going to allow it.

However, the Observants were a step ahead of him. Before he could do anything he was arrested. The very council he used to serve quickly locked him away.

He was in there for nearly a century. As he plotted his escape, he was constantly reminded of what was going on through his psychic connection with his children. He felt their pain, as humans got more destructive.

Still, despite his hatred, he was well aware not all humans were destructive. Quite a few were well aware of the damage being done and were advocating to make it stop. Undergrowth vowed they would be spared from his wrath when he got free.

One day, he did get free. He emerged in Amity Park and quickly took over. In under an hour, he had managed to subdue all of the city's inhabitants, including the infamous Danny Phantom. And, when their minds joined the Growth, he found one human that interested him greatly.

Samantha Manson, a girl who loved plants almost as much as he did. Rather than turn her into a mindless drone like the others, he endowed her with her own powers, allowing her to rule at her side. He blocked certain aspects of her mind. He made her one of his children.

At first, it was just a title, but over time Undergrowth actually began to care for Sam. She was his daughter, and he cared for her dearly. He wanted to make her happy.

That was a problem. Right from the beginning, Undergrowth could feel the strong affection his daughter had for the Ghost Boy. She wanted him to rule alongside her, but Undergrowth was skeptical. After all, he was far too attached to his old life, and had a will that would be difficult to suppress (Sam had one as well, but her love of plants gave him an advantage to exploit). Still, the bond between them was enough for her to ignore an order to destroy and instead extend an offer to rule.

Phantom escaped and disappeared for months, and in that time, Undergrowth gave the matter thought. He eventually decided to extend the offer to him and see if he accepted.

Inevitably, Phantom returned, and when Sam extended the offer, he refused. Undergrowth thought it a pity but brushed it off. The child would simply be broken down like the rest of his kin.

Or so he thought. He didn't count on him mastering cryokinesis in such a short time. In minutes he had undone everything and reduced him to a mere weed.

The plant mastered escaped and began to regenerate, biding his time. Before he was fully healed, one Vlad Plasmius, who made him an intriguing offer, approached him. If he would allow himself to be caught by his new ghost hunting team, he would cease all further harm to his children once he ruled the world.

At first, he refused. After all, Plasmius had an anti-nature campaign, and he was easily taken over by the Growth during his short rule. But when he learned it was part of larger plot to get rid of Danny Phantom, he accepted. After all, the child was his only true obstacle. He could usurp power from Vlad later.

And so he attacked Amity a second time. He humiliated the one responsible for his previous loss, but allowed himself to be captured. In fact, he had a suspicion that most of the ghosts Masters' Blasters caught were secretly on Plasmius' payroll. A lot of them were too strong to be taken down so quickly, and they were all united by their hatred of the Ghost Child.

For a while, it looked like the plan was going to work, but he should have known better. Plasmius was a fool, with a big gaping hole in his plans. Undergrowth figured he would have been smart enough to at least practice turning that asteroid intangible before making demands. But no, Vlad lost, and in a truly ironic twist he was forced to ally with Phantom to solve the problem.

After the Disasteroid passed, Undergrowth hid in the deepest parts of the Ghost Zone and began to plot his revenge. It was in this time he realized something. He still had a connection with Sam. It turned out that she still held traces of his ectoplasm in her body left over from her long-term possession, too small to be detected by Danny's ghost sense or any ghost scanner. With some work, he could reactivate them and regain control.

It was also around then he heard that Walker was planning something big to destroy his bitter enemy with many of his fellow rogues. Deciding that there was strength in numbers, he made his strength known to them, which they were more than willing to exploit.

The alliance seemed unlikely. After all, his partners used the technology that he had grown to despise. But once again, their hatred of Danny united them, and eventually they reached a bargain. Once Phantom was disposed of, Walker would get control of the Wasteland, Undergrowth control of Earth, and Skulker and Technus could roam freely in both realms.

And so it began. Technus and Skulker began constructing ectoskeletons for the four of them, and he began to reactivate the dormant ectoplasm within his "daughter." Things fell into place faster than he had hoped. Sure, the raid on Skulker's island had been unexpected, but it was a minor annoyance. He took control of Sam and called her back to him. Like a moth to a flame, Phantom came looking for her.

And this time, he would surrender to the Growth.

* * *

"Undergrowth!" Danny said, not even trying to hide his surprise. 

"Yes, child, I have returned. You shouldn't be so surprised. You didn't think I would honestly allow the suffering of my children to continue, did you?"

"What have you done to Sam? How did you get her back under your control?"

"I will always be loyal to my father," Sam answered in her possessed voice.

"It seems that there was still a little piece of me left over in her from when you destroyed my kingdom. It helped me remind her of her true purpose."

Hearing this just made Danny angry. He powered up an ectoblast in his hand. "Look, you, if you don't turn Sam back to normal, I'm gonna--…"

Danny was cut off by a mass of vines slamming into his chest and pushing him back into the walls. Once he was pinned, the vines already growing on the wall snaked over his arms, trapping him.

"You're in no position to make demands," Undergrowth sneered. "I should destroy you now. You've delayed the plant uprising long enough. You ruined my kingdom, and corrupted my daughter. Still…she loves you. Because of that, you get one more chance."

Before Danny could ask what that meant, Sam floated in front of him. Tenderly, she began to stroke her boyfriend's cheek. "Join us, Danny. Become one with the Growth, and rule by my side."

"No, Sam, this isn't right, you have to fight it!"

"Please, Danny, just submit, before I have to do something we'll both regret."

"No, I can't…I…can't!"

With that last word, the vines pinning the hero were suddenly covered in ice. A split second later, they shattered like glass. Danny, now free, fired a blast of ice straight at the source of his problems. However, the plant ghost proved to be nimble for his size, and managed to dodge the attack.

"So that's your answer, is it?" Undergrowth glared. "Very well. Daughter, dispose of him."

Sam had a look of despair on her face before it morphed into a scowl. "Yes, father," she answered, before she launched several vines in Danny's direction.

* * *

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the prison, other battles were being waged. 

The other four members of the alliance were going up against the rest of Team Phantom. When the battle had begun, Jazz and Danielle had selected Bullet as their target.

Like his boss, Bullet was decked out in a new armor, courtesy of Technus and Skulker, which meant he was even more dangerous than before. Still, Jazz had seen him in action during walker's plot to frame Danny, and his first attack was familiar.

The second-in-command stuck his arm out, and the end of his arm morphed into a double-barreled ectogun. When he fired, it let loose two strands of ectoplasmic energy…the very same weapon he had used on Wulf so long ago.

The Fenton sisters dodged in separate directions, causing the strands to hit nothing. The quickly retracted, and Bullet aimed it at Jazz and pulled the trigger. The carrot top dodged once more and fired her own shot, which the guard dodged by leaning to one side. At the same time, Danielle tried to take advantage of the fact that her opponent was focused on her sister. She flew forward and pulled her fist back, ready to punch.

But Bullet saw it coming a mile away. When the clone was close enough, he lashed his arm out and grabbed her by the neck.

Danni panicked as she struggled, thankful that she didn't have to breath in her current form. As if she was a rag doll, Bullet threw her across the room, causing her to hit the prison's metallic walls with a deafening thud.

A split second before that occurred, Jazz realized what was happening. She raised her ectogun and fired, but by then Bullet's attention was back on her. He dodged the attack and fired his rope gun. The ectoplasmic bonds wrapped around the eldest Fenton child, sending a wave of ectoplasmic energy through her.

Jazz shrieked in pain as she struggled to escape her torturous restraints. Meanwhile, Bullet simply relished in his victim's pain.

This ended as soon as Danielle entered the fray once more.

Bullet had made the mistake of underestimating his opponent. After all, who would think a little girl could be so tough? He made the incorrect assumption that Danni would black out after hitting the prison walls. Not only didn't she pass out, but also she was ready to fight again in half a minute.

After seeing what was going on, she acted. Danny had told her about his first encounter with Bullet, and she was ready to use that knowledge. She began by cutting the strands that had her sister in their grip. Then, she grabbed the severed ends, powered up, and yelled three words.

"Go Ghost Stinger!"

At that moment, the ends of the deadly strands turned from a sinister red to the Phantoms' trademark green. The color changed traveled up the ropes until they reached their source.

The captain of the guards' lone eye widened as he realized what was happening. Before he could do anything about it, he found the previous situation reversed as foreign ectoplasm was surged through him.

After only three seconds, the rope gun exploded to bits. Bullet fell back, grabbing his hand in pain. Seeing this, Danielle flew forward, ready to deliver a kick to the side of the head.

She was greatly surprised when her attack was intercepted by Bullet's hand, which wrapped itself tightly around her ankle. The one eyed guard, extremely angry, slammed the girl into the steel floor as hard as he could.

Danielle's bones ached and stars danced in her vision as she felt Bullet pick her up and slam her down once more. She desperately tried to regain her senses as her opponent lifted her once more.

This time, she didn't hit the floor, because at that moment an ectoblast from Jazz's gun struck the one eyed guard in the side, causing him to release his hold and fall back. The clone managed to activate her flying powers before she hit the ground.

Before Bullet could recover he was suddenly hit in the side with another blast. Jazz continued her barrage, rapidly firing blasts. It continued until the blue skinned ghost became enraged enough to act.

From the undamaged arm of his suit, Bullet summoned an ectoplasmic shield that he promptly placed between himself and his opponent. As three blasts ricocheted of the shield, the guard rolled to one side. Then he activated a wrist cannon on his good arm and fired it at the young girl.

Jazz managed to dodge, the attack singing a few of her hairs. Undaunted, the elder Fenton daughter returned fire. For a few moments, the two warriors exchanged attacks, dodging and firing.

However, Bullet made the same mistake he had before. He underestimated Danielle. The youngest halfa had recovered and noticed her enemy was distracted. So, she flew up to him from behind and fired a shot, point blank, at the back of his head.

Definitely not expecting that attack, Walker's second-in-command lurched forward, right on top of Jazz's gun. Of course, she fired.

The end result was a huge hole in the chest of the armor, and a scorched portion of Bullet's skin. Bullet fell back, hitting his head on the prison floor with a thud.

At that moment, Bullet was disoriented…which gave Danielle the perfect chance to do something her brother had done many times before. She pulled out her own Fenton Thermos (apparently from the same invisible pocket Danny kept his), aimed it at her opponent, and pressed the button.

A beam of energy erupted from the thermos lid, enveloping the blue skinned ghost. Too disoriented to resist, Bullet was soon a prisoner to the metal device.

Danielle smiled as she capped the portable prison. "One down…"

* * *

At the same time, Bullet's superiors were dealing with the rest of Team Phantom. Specifically, Technus, decked in a suit that looked a lot like the one he had created during his first bout with his hated enemy, was locked in battle with Agent Kaufman and Amorpho.

"Fools! I, Technus, am the greatest genius in the Ghost Zone! You can't beat me!"

"You don't look so smart," Kaufman commented.

"Oh really?" the white haired ghost smirked. "Maybe _this_ will change your mind!"

With that statement, a gun suddenly sprung up on Technus' shoulder. A split second later it fired a bolt of lightning, which Kaufman barely avoided. "Ah ha! Who is your daddy?" he taunted, firing a blast at Amorpho.

"Nice," the shape-shifting ghost laughed. "My turn." With that, the faceless ghost lifted his staff, pointing its bottom end directly at the master of science and technology.

At first glance, Amorpho's cane appeared to be a mere ornament. After all, he was perfectly able bodied, and he didn't walk, which pretty much eliminated any need for a walking stick. But as anyone who has seen the Ghost Zone could tell you, things are not always what they appeared. Indeed, as soon as the cane leveled with the rogue ghost, it shot forth an ectoblast, which struck Technus in the chest.

"My cane has similar abilities to mine. It can replicate several different weapons. Why don't you give up now?"

However, Technus wasn't fazed. In fact, he seemed amused. "Ha! That barely scratched the surface of my armor! Let me show you what a real gun can do!" With that, his bolt gun fired once more. This time, it struck the faceless ghost in the stomach, sending him back. It would have been the perfect moment for the evil ghost had Kaufman not recovered and fired a blast. The agent was aiming for the shoulder mounted weapon, but he was still slightly disoriented from being shot and ended up hitting him in the side of the head instead.

"Why you little!" Technus yelled as he fired another bolt. This time, Kaufman dodged by rolling to one side, then fired another blast directly at his opponent. Technus simply summoned an ectoshield, which neutralized the attack. Another bolt was fired, which ended up passing just inches from the edge of Kaufman's head. The agent fired another blast. This one hit its mark, blasting the bolt gun to shards.

"Hey, that was my sentimental favorite!" Technus whined. However, Kaufman was unsympathetic, and began firing more blasts. Technus brought up an ectoshield to block these. He would have gotten through the attack unscathed had Amorpho not appeared by his side and, in a swift motion, whacked him on the side of the head with his cane.

The moment of disorientation was all that was needed for the shield to drop, and for three shots from an ectogun to strike. Technus fell to the floor, a smoking hole in the chest of his armor.

"You're not so tough," Kaufman taunted, reaching for his ghost containment unit. Unfortunately, he didn't get a chance to use it. At that moment, the science themed ghost stood again and, to both of his opponents' horror, the hole in his armor closed up like a quickly healing wound.

"Fools! Because of my mastery over all electrical technology, I, Technus, master of all things with shiny lights and wires, can heal my suit at any time! No matter how many times you knock me down, I will get up! No matter how often I crash, I will reboot! No matter…"

Kaufman had shot Technus at that moment, in an effort to get him to shut up.

"Hey, no fair!" the deceased scientist whined, "You're supposed to let me finish ranting! Don't you read comic books?"

"Yes, and I could never figure out why the heroes didn't just beat the crap out of the bad guy whenever they did that." With that, he fired his gun once more.

Technus dodged. "Fine, let's see you handle this!"

At that point, four large tentacles sprouted out of the ghost's back, each with a sinister set of pinchers on the ends. He then flung them forward, causing Kaufman and Amorpho to duck to opposite sides.

"And people think _I_ copy things," Amorpho mumbled as he held his cane up. The tip of the stick morphed into a sharp blade. The next tentacle that came near was greeted by the blade, which the faceless ghost swung like a sword.

But he wished he hadn't. The moment that the sword penetrated the metal casing, the changeling got an unhealthy dose of electricity, which surged through the cane and him. A moment later, he was blown across the room and into a steel wall.

Kaufman, thankful his weapons weren't hand-to-hand, fired another shot. Unfortunately, Technus not only dodged, but a split second later one of his tentacles grabbed the ectogun and crushed it into a ball of broken machinery.

Instantly Kaufman reached for one of his other weapons. But he never got it, because another tentacle wrapped itself around him and began running electricity through him. The black haired man stiffened, his hair straightening up, as several volts ran through him.

A moment later, Technus noticed Amorpho was flying toward his ally with his makeshift blade ready. The white-haired ghost realized, with some amusement, that the faceless ghost was going to cut the electrified tentacle. Hadn't he learned from last time?

Imagine his surprise when he not only cut through the steel appendage, but did so without suffering any painful consequence. For once, Technus was speechless.

"What? But…"

"My cane can morph into nearly any weapon," Amorpho reminded. "That includes those with rubber handles that don't conduct electricity." With that, he sliced another section off the steel bind.

More annoyed than angry, Technus lifted his severed tentacle into the air. A moment later, the appendage was fixed, as if no damage had been inflicted on it at all.

"It doesn't matter. My armor's quick healing, you're not!" he boated, slamming his tentacles down, forcing the pair to fall back.

"How are we supposed to beat something that can bounce back?" Amorpho whined.

"…I have an idea. Can you morph into something that would allow you to touch those tentacles?"

The faceless ghost responded by morphing into a generic man wearing a DGA uniform. The gloves they wore, like their predecessors, allowed them to handle hazardous material.

"Good," Kaufman responded, "follow my lead!"

The pair ran forward, straight at their opponent. Technus responded by lashing out half of his tentacles. But to his great surprise, the two didn't just dodge, but actually jumped on top of the metal appendages and ran up them. Angry, the ghost lashed his other two tentacles out. The pair dodged these by jumping and landing directly on top of Technus.

"Hey!" The ghost cried as he changed his footing, trying to keep standing. "Get off of me!" He ordered two of his tentacles to attack them.

Kaufman breathed a sigh of relief that Technus fell into the category of so smart, yet so dumb. "Now, jump!" he ordered.

They did so. The result was a pair of electricity surging tentacles crashing into their master. As Technus yelled in pain and struggled to get the appendages off of him, Amorpho and Kaufman grabbed the remaining two. They then ran forward, jabbing them into his chest.

"Hey, stop! Those don't go there, you're going to crash my system!"

"That's the idea!" Kaufman smirked.

Finally, the sparks stopped, and Technus fell over, his suit smoking and unmoving.

"My suit! My beautiful suit! You crashed it! All the programs are overloaded!" he whined as he phased out, revealing his scrawny form. "Is that anyway to treat your hardware?"

"You're finished," Kaufman said simply, pulling out a small disk. When he pressed a small button, it behaved just like a Fenton Thermos, sucking the ghost up. In seconds, he was confined.

* * *

When the battle began, Valerie chose Skulker as her opponent. After all, she had a score to settle. She noted that he wasn't wearing his usual armor. In fact, it looked like his updated armor from the Fenton Crammer incident; Danny had shown her photos of it on his ghost files. Still, that did little to detour her.

"Remember me, ghost?"

"Ah yes, the ghost hunter. I considered hunting you for awhile, but Phantom's a much more worthy target."

"I'm still more than a match for you," Valerie declared, activating one of her wrist cannons.

"I see. So it's hunter vs. hunter. Very well. I hate having competition anyway," Skulker said, activating a wrist cannon of his own.

The two hunters fired their blasts at the same time, causing them to cancel each other out. The metal clad ghost fired another blast, causing the girl in red to fly to the side. Valerie fired another blast, which passed over Skulker's shoulder.

Skulker smirked as he lifted his other arm and fired something. Valerie, expecting another ectoblast, simply flew to the side. So she was surprised when the projectile turned out to be a net, the same one he had used on Danny during their first encounter so long ago, and it was wide enough to catch Valerie regardless of her changed position.

"Pathetic human," he spat as he reeled Valerie in. "I always get my prey."

"What about Danny?"

"I managed to catch him before."

"But he always got away."

"Plasmius' fault, not mine," he snapped.

"Yeah, well, you still can't beat me," the Red Hunter said as she activated her gun blocks, which materialized outside the net. Skulker, not expecting this, failed to defend against the three shots that struck his armor and face. Skulker flew back while Valerie managed to worm free of her prison.

By the time Skulker had regained his bearings, Valerie had activated her jet sled and was in the air, firing blasts on her opponent. Ghost Zone's greatest predator activated his own jets and flew up, firing his own blasts. Soon, the two were level with each other.

Valerie began firing large blasts from the front of her jet sled while firing smaller blasts from her wrists. Skulker had activated both of his wrist cannons, plus both of his shoulder cannons. For a few minutes, the two hunters fought, turning their battlefield into a laser light show.

Finally, Valerie made the mistake of getting to close to her opponent. Skulker, noticing she was in arm's reach activated his blades and swung them with full force.

They ended up slicing the jet sled, as opposed to the hunter herself, as Skulker hoped. However, this was not a total loss. The sled immediately spun out of control, causing the Red Hunter to crash into one of the prison's walls.

"Looks like you're grounded," the hunter taunted as he hovered above his fallen enemy.

He paid for his taunting with half of his jets, which Valerie blasted off with the careful aim of one of her wrist cannons. The armored ghost suffered the effects immediately. With one half still at full blast, he went out of control, flying in loops before smashing his head on the same wall Valerie had hit earlier.

"So are you," the girl replied.

Skulker, who did not get where he was by allowing his enemies to insult him, activated his blades and swung. Valerie dodged the first attack, but the second time the blade sliced her armor, tearing it in half and putting a gash on her stomach. The girl fell, her back hitting the wall. She regained her senses in time to see the blades heading for her forehead.

They ended up embedded in a wall because she was quick enough to duck. Skulker immediately began pulling on his arm, hoping to dislodge the weapons. Finally, he got them free. Realizing his target was no longer in sight, he turned around, and was greeted by a swift punch to the face.

Skulker's mechanical head spun three hundred and sixty degrees several times before the predator managed to stop it by clutching his head with both hands. Still dizzy, he failed to stop Valerie from putting her wrist cannon at his chest and pulling the trigger.

Skulker fell back into the wall, and seconds later Valerie activated her gun blocks and fired. That blast turned his right arm to scrap metal. Before he could do anything, the second arm followed.

At this point, Skulker knew he had lost. Still, he remained defiant until Valerie gave one final blast, turning the suit to twisted steel.

Remembering what Danny had told her, the Red Hunter began searching the wreckage for the actual Skulker. After only half a minute, she suddenly stepped on something. She also heard a small yell. She checked the underside of her foot and saw Skulker there, flatter than usual and shouting curses.

"Aw man," Valerie said, picking up Skulker's wrecked blade and using it to scrape the blob off of her foot. The miniature ghost fell to the ground in time to be sucked up by Valerie's thermos.

* * *

The final fight happening in that room was between Walker and Jack and Maddie. The two founders of FentonWorks had been wanting to battle some of Danny's enemies to make up for the years of shooting him.

However, if they had known how hard Walker could punch, they might not have been in such a hurry. Add to that the fact that he was wearing a mechanical version of his usual business suit that increased his strength, and they wondered what their hurry was.

Walker had always preferred hand-to-hand combat, partly because his own ectoplasmic blasts were, for an unknown reason, very weak. For that reason, his first attack was a swift punch, which connected to the side of Jack's head. With a splitting headache the Fenton father found himself a few steps back, with the corrupt warden still advancing.

He might have landed another punch had Maddie not chosen that moment to fire the Fenton Bazooka, which hit a direct shot at Walker's side. However, the ghost only fell back a step, his natural endurance prevailing. Jack took advantage of the momentary distraction by pulling out two ectohandguns and blasting them in rapid fire. The blasts hit Walker, causing him to fall back even farther. He brought his hands up, desperately trying to block the continuous attacks

"That's enough!" he finally yelled in frustration, aiming his fist and firing an ectoblast, increased in strength by the suit he wore. It was poorly aimed but it still hit its mark, striking Jack in the stomach and causing him to cease fire. Almost immediately afterward Maddie fired a blast from their bazooka, but Walker dodged not by ducking to the side, but by flying. He sailed over the blast, dodging two more attacks before landing in front of the matriarch of the Fenton family.

Walker, not caring that his opponent was a girl, delivered a devastating punch to the side of her head. Maddie went back, and Walker relieved her of her weapon, crushing it beneath his fists like it was a soda can.

Since Maddie was temporarily disarmed, Walker turned his attention to Jack, who was readying his weapons. However, he never got the chance to use them, as two well-aimed ectoblasts destroyed them. A third hit struck Jack's chest, keeping him out of the fight a bit longer.

Satisfied, he turned his attention back on Maddie in time to catch her Fenton Staff, the same on she had used on Vlad's experiments more than a year ago, in his hand. As he gripped the blocked weapon, he smiled. "Nice try, but you'll have to do better than that."

The mother gave a sly smile. "I intend to." With that, she pressed a small button on the handle of her weapon.

At that point, a severe shock went through the warden. Walker cried out in pain, releasing his hold and stumbling back, only to hit something. With a smile, Jack Fenton pulled the trigger on the third ectogun he had used that day. Walker was hit point blank, causing him to go forward. Maddie responded by swinging her staff.

This attack Walker managed to dodge, then counter with a severe punch to the gut. The wind knocked out of her, Maddie fell to the ground. Immediately the ghost turned around and disarmed the other half of the team by blasting his ectogun. He then delivered a swift kick to the gut, causing him to fall as well.

Walker stood over his fallen opponent, grinning maliciously. He lifted his foot, about to crush his opponent's head beneath his heel.

Suddenly, several steel cables wrapped around him from behind, trapping him in their grip. "Hey, what the?" he shouted, looking behind him.

Maddie held the handle of the Jack O' Nine Tails in her hand, giving a satisfied smile. "This is for framing my son." With that, she pressed the handle's button.

Suddenly, a severe shock ran through Walker as the weapon took effect. So severe, in fact, that his suit overloaded and broke apart in a miniature explosion.

Walker fell to the ground, smoking and too damaged to continue. He looked up to see Maddie standing over him. "Danny tells me you never got sucked into the Fenton Thermos. I think I'll fix that." With that, she produced the said device and activated it, sucking the warden in.

Her job done, she turned to see her husband getting up. "Did we win?" he asked, still a bit out of it from the attack.

"Yes, now we better find Danny. No telling what trouble he's gotten himself in."


	10. Flora

Well, folks, here it is. I bet you're dying to know how Danny gets out of this one, so I won't ramble. Here it is!

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom and all related characters copyright Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon, Viacom, and Billionfold Studios.

* * *

Danny had no qualms about hitting a girl if that girl was trying to take over the world, kill him, or some combination of the two. It simply had to be done.

Still, no situation, no matter how dire, could cause him to strike Sam. That little factor was unfortunate, because she was his unwilling opponent this time, and that factor led to her having the upper hand when the battle began. This was because Danny still tried using words.

"Sam, please, you don't want to do this," the halfa begged. He was rewarded with three powerful vines slamming into his chest. The ends had been filed into points, causing the weapons to penetrate his skin. Thankfully, none of the vines were anywhere near his brain, so he remained with his free will.

"You're right, I don't. But if you're going to stand in the way of the children, I have no choice."

"Sam, please," Danny struggled to talk through his pain as the vines pinned him back against the same wall he was against earlier, "this isn't you. The real Sam would never do this," he pleaded as more vines wrapped around him.

"No, Danny, it's still me. I've just been…liberated."

"What…are you talking about?" Danny said as vines continued to envelop him.

"I've been liberated from inhibition…from fear…from want. I've become superior, Danny, but I'm still the same girl you fell in love with."

"No. The Sam I love wouldn't side with a megalomaniac like Undergrowth."

"Oh, Danny, you're so naïve. I've always found that adorable. But don't worry, you'll understand once you become…enlightened!"

At that point, a vine jabbed into the back of the half ghost's head. Fortunately, before he fell into a chlorophyll-induced haze, he finally managed to activate his ice powers. His restraints were quickly frozen solid before shattering into pieces under Danny's superior strength.

Even though he was free, Danny was still in trouble. The first attack had punctured his chest in three places, causing green blood with a red tint to leak out. Already his arms and legs felt like lead. Still, this didn't cause him to slow down. In a flash he flew past Sam and straight at Undergrowth, readying another beam of ice.

The master of plants didn't even flinch at the attempted assault, nor did he make an attempt to stop him. He didn't need to. Another vine, courtesy of Sam, wrapped around his waist and pulled him back toward her. Once he was close, she grabbed him by the back of the head. With a sadistic grin on her face, she turned around and slammed him face first into the steel prison wall.

Danny barely had time to register the pounding pain in his head before his overshadowed girlfriend pulled his head back and slammed his head a second time, then a third. When he was pulled up again, he coughed up blood, wheezing and struggling to breath.

"Sam…" he said weakly. As a response, the goth leaned to Danny's ear.

"We always hurt the ones we love," she said in a low, seductive whisper before slamming him against the steel sidings once more.

Undergrowth let loose a laugh. "Most entertaining. I actually hope that fool Walker installed a security camera in this room. I would love to refer back to this whenever I wish to be entertained."

By the seventh slam, Danny knew what he had to do to save himself. Even though it had to be done, he still felt the guilt twinge in his heart. When his overshadowed girlfriend pulled his head back again, the half ghost acted. He reached up and back, grabbing her gloved hand. In half a heartbeat he activated his ice powers, coating her hand in frozen water. This surprised her so greatly that she lost focus for a split second, which was all he needed to whirl around and fire another beam directly at her.

Sam flew into the wall next to Undergrowth, her stomach and hands frozen in makeshift restraints. Danny visibly flinched at what he had done. Even though she was barely hurt, the pain of having to perform the action was more painful than any attack he had been forced to endure that day.

He charged at the true source of the aggression with renewed anger. Unfortunately, Undergrowth was angry as well.

"How dare you attack her!" he boomed, swinging one of his oversized hands at the ghost boy. However, he easily dodged, his own anger fueling his speed.

"How dare I! What about you? You're the one forcing her to fight!" he countered, firing a beam that froze his left shoulder. The iced area froze, but it quickly regenerated.

"She must fight because you prolong the inevitable!" He boomed, continuing to try and swat his enemy.

"Look you," Danny threatened, charging up a powerful blast of ice, "I had enough of your…"

He never finished. Sam broke free of her icy restraints and, before Danny knew what was happening, wrapped him in several more vines. The ghost boy struggled against his binds, but they just got tighter. It was at that point Danny knew what was happing. Sam was trying to crush him.

"Aaaaaahhhhhh!" he cried as the vines squeezed the life out of him. His screams of pain echoed throughout the room as Danny desperately tried to think through his pain.

"Danny, please," Sam pleaded, loosening the restraints slightly, "stop this and join me. It's still not too late."

"No, Sam…this isn't right," he answered weakly. "I can't…"

"Then keep screaming," Undergrowth commented as Sam renewed her death grip. "It makes this show all the more entertaining."

Danny unwilling obeyed the command. The pain was excruciating, and he could swear he heard his bones cracking. He felt like his organs were going to explode under pressure at any time.

"Sam!" he cried through his pain. "Stop! Please!"

"You can make it stop, Danny. Just join me, before I have to kill you."

"I…can't!"

Sam looked crestfallen, but Undergrowth just smiled a sadistic smile. "Then you shall be nourishment for the children. Continue, daughter, crush him into dust."

Once again, Sam looked unsure. Then, she put on a determined face. "Yes, father."

* * *

"Are you sure Danny went this way?" Danielle asked, concerned.

"The Fenton Ghost Tracker doesn't lie, sweetie," Maddie answered as the remaining members of Team Phantom walked down the hallways of Walker's prison, following the guidance of the device that Jack and Maddie had long thought was malfunctioning.

"Three ectoplasmic entities detected, thirty meters ahead," the female computer voice stated.

"See? Works like a charm!" Jack said, who was the one holding the device. The rather large group continued moving forward until they came to a rather large steel door.

"Ectoplasmic entities dead ahead. Prepare for battle, and try not to get killed," the voice from the Finder stated.

"Ready your weapons," Kaufman instructed, "if Danny still hasn't come back with his girlfriend, there must be another hostile, and I'm willing to bet he's tough if he's lasted this long."

"Right," Valerie answered, readying her gun blocks. The others took similar actions.

"Alright, let's move in…" Kaufman began, but he was cut off by something unexpected. The tiles on the floor split open, and several vines shot up into the air, entangling the area.

"What the…" Kaufman began, but before he could finish a vine stabbed him in the back of the head, sending him into a chlorophyll-powered trance.

Jazz was the next to fall victim to the Growth, receiving a stab to the head before she could even raise her ectogun. Danni was next, her inexperience getting the better of her. Amorpho was next, his usual red eyes turning green.

Jack, Maddie, and Valerie managed to avoid their initial onslaught, but not by much. The only reason Valerie hadn't joined the majority of the group was the fact that her helmet prevented from the vine's penetration. Still, this was little help. While their professional skills kept them safe for a few moments, the Fentons were soon under the control of the Mind Vine. The Red Hunter lasted until a possessed Amorpho and Kaufman grabbed her arms. Then, Danielle floated over and phased her helmet off. Before she could react, the girl found her mind hazing.

The entirety of Team Phantom was now slaves of Undergrowth.

* * *

Danny could never remember feeling pain like this. His first fight with Plasmius had resulted in him getting seriously injured for the first time in his career, but at least there it had been over so quick he barely felt anything before he blacked out. The ectoskeleton had taken most of the damage in his fight against Pariah, the only result being some extremely sore muscles. Dan had avoided seriously hurting him in order to ensure he would exist in the future. And, in all three of those cases, his opponent just wanted to end the fight.

But in this case, Undergrowth wanted him to suffer, and that is just what he was doing. Sam's vice grip continued to get tighter, increasing his pain.

"Sam…stop…" he moaned weakly.

"I've told you, I can't," the goth said silently.

"Yes, you can. Please, think of everything we've done in the last few days."

At that moment, Sam's grip actually loosened. Before she could stop herself, she found herself inadvertently obeying the request.

* * *

_Sam couldn't believe it. Just an hour ago, her best friend had told her exactly what she had always wanted to hear. After all this time, she was finally kissing her best friend_.

_Their lips broke apart as they both enjoyed the view of the tall office building they had landed on. After a few moments Danny broke the silence._

"_How long?"_

_Sam turned to him, puzzled. "What?"_

"_How long have you loved me?"_

_She was silent for a moment. "Well, I've always considered you my best friend, and I've always felt great around you. I think I was always in love with you, I just…didn't think I should be thinking that way about my best friend. What about you?"_

_Danny sighed, giving a smile. "Well, that first 'fake-out make-out' was when I started thinking about it, but it was that incident where Desiree erased my memory that I realized how much you meant to me."_

"_That long, huh?" she commented, easing closer to him. "Why didn't you say anything? Thought it was taboo to fall in love with your best friend?"_

"_Well, that was one of the reasons, but that incident with Nocturne ended that. Something else was stopping me."_

"_What?"_

"_Vlad. I mean, he always knew how to use my weaknesses against me. I knew if I started dating you, he'd have used you against me. You'd be in danger. I figured that, as long as Vlad was around, we couldn't be together."_

"_Well, what do you call your fling with Valerie?" the girl asked, a bit offended._

_Danny smiled sheepishly. "Well, I didn't think I'd ever get rid of Vlad, so…I guess I tried covering up my feelings for you by dating Val. She was…better equipped to fight ghosts, so I thought she'd be safer."_

"_Danny, when are you going to get it through your thick skull that I don't care about danger? Besides, if anyone's worth the risk, it's you," she said, giving him a kiss on the lips._

_As soon as the kiss broke, Danny sighed. "I know, but…if anything happened to you, I don't know what I'd do. It may sound corny, but…I don't think I could live without you."

* * *

_Danny felt the vines untangle his body. He fell to the prison floor, his body to weak to fly. 

"What is this?" Undergrowth shouted. "Daughter, finish him!"

"I…I can't," Sam said, her voice almost sounding normal. "I'm sorry, father, but I just can't kill him. He means too much to me.'

Undergrowth looked ready to explode with rage. But, to both Danny and Sam's surprise, he clamed himself. "Very well. If that's the case, then return to my side."

The possessed goth shot Danny one last apologetic look before obeying the command, floating toward the plant master's right side. Seeing this, Danny rose to his feet with great difficulty, assuming a battle stance once he was back on his feet.

However, this didn't worry Undergrowth. On the contrary, he found it amusing, giving an echoing laugh. "So, you have some fight in you yet, ghost child? Very well, I wouldn't be me if I disappointed your thirst for pain."

"So…you're finally going to fight me yourself instead of hiding behind Sam?"

"So you can freeze me solid once more? I'm no fool, ghost child. I'm merely sending some new slaves to battle you."

At that point, the large doors he had entered through opened once more.

For the third time that day, Danny felt his blood turn cold.

There were his friends, his family, and his back up, all with glowing green eyes and veins around their eyes. All were staring at him vacantly.

They were all under the control of the Growth.

"It isn't as deliciously ironic as getting destroyed by the girl you love, but it is still quite amusing," Undergrowth commented. "But enough of this talk. Destroy him!"

With those words, Amorpho, Valerie, and Danielle were suddenly right in front of him. In a flash, Valerie had kicked him in the side of his head, sending him to the ground. Soon afterwards Danni hovered over him and sent a two handed ectoblast directly at his chest. Since he still had those wounds on his chest, his pain was greatly magnified. Following this Amorpho summoned a blade on his staff and drove it into his ribs.

Danny screamed in pain as the shape shifter removed the weapon from his chest. Almost immediately afterward the remaining members surrounded him and began to violently attack him, whether by their ectoguns or merely by kicking him. Either way, the pain was immense.

Undergrowth watched it all with sadistic glee. Sam, on the other hand, flinched at every attack, as if they were attacking her instead. Still, as much as she wanted too, she couldn't find the strength to move forward and help. Her faux father's influence was too strong.

Danny was kicked across the room, rolling into a wall. By now his body was covered in cuts, burns, and bruises, each leaking ectoplasm and blood. The halfa struggled to his feet as his possessed family and friends closed in on him, each with a sinister look in their eyes.

It was at this point he knew that he needed to fall back and regroup. So, he quickly reverted back to his human form and immediately phased through the wall.

As he stepped through he began to fall. He realized the room he had occupied previously was at the edge of the prison. Summoning his strength, he transformed back into his ghostly alter ego. He looked back. He wasn't being followed. He suspected it was because the ectoplasm Undergrowth had injected into his victim's bodies had rendered them unable to pass through ghostly items.

Pleased that he had a moment to think, his mind began racing.

_Undergrowth's too smart to approach directly. He's not going to let me get anywhere near him as long as he has Sam and the others to hide behind. I need to get him to attack me directly._ Then he thought of something. _When I temporarily froze Sam, he flew into a rage and attacked me. As much as I hate to say it, I think I need to do it again. Still, I'm probably too weak to finish him off myself. I need to think…_

That's what he did, and slowly a plan formed in his mind.

* * *

"Well…if it's a boy, I'm thinking Blaze. A girl, maybe Flare."

Mrs. Manson smiled. "Sounds like they'd fit," she said, not really knowing what else to say. Those names were certainly unusual for a human, but they sounded fine for a ghost…or so she thought. Truth be told, she wasn't entirely clear on ghost culture.

Still, she forgot several times that the young woman she was talking to wasn't human. Hoping to get her mind off the situation involving her daughter, she had engaged in conversation with the only available source. Ember was more than willing to talk, because she wasn't too pleased by the situation either. She was constantly wishing she could connect her ex-boyfriend's face to her fist, but she knew she couldn't. For all her rage she still had love for the child growing inside her. Still, sitting still when she could be in action was driving her crazy.

That seemed to be happening to Jeremy Manson. He was pacing in front of the Ghost Portal so much the girls could swear he was wearing a ditch into the tiles. Youngblood, meanwhile, was playing Doomed on the nearby computer, taking out some of his frustration of not being able to join the battle on some virtual enemies.

A phone ringing interrupted the tense scene. It was the Fenton's home phone, on a telephone installed in the lab. Puzzled, Jeremy walked over and answered. "Fenton residence, may I help you?"

"Mr. Manson, thank goodness!" a voce exclaimed from the other end.

"Daniel?" Jeremy asked, earning the attention of the lab's other occupants. "What's going on? Where's Samantha?"

"Working on it. That's why I called. I need you to get the stretcher we had Sam on earlier ready. Get it ready to strap down."

"Why?"

"I don't have time to explain. Just get it ready and pass the phone to Ember."

Jeremy was definitely confused, but did as he was told, handing the phone to the ghostly siren. "He wants to talk to you."

Ember took the phone. "What it is, dipstick?" she asked the receiver curtly.

"Ember, how big of a fire blast can you produce?"

* * *

Undergrowth was both confused and nervous. The ghost boy's sudden retreat wasn't like him. Usually he stood and fought no matter what the odds. His sudden act of running away had been strange, at least at first. The plant master was no fool. When he had retreated previously, it had merely been to regroup and train. That had to have been what he was doing now.

He looked down at the slaves of the Growth. "Spread out, find the ghost child!"

"Don't bother, Undergrowth," a new voice said. Much to his amazement, Danny phased through the wall, not bothering to transform into his ghostly alter ego.

"So, child, you're not even transforming. Have you finally decided to stop fighting and join the Growth?" At this, Sam's eyes lit up with hope.

"No, I'm not going to serve some overgrown weed," he said looking confidant, but in truth he was incredibly nervous. His entire plan hinged on not one, but two big gambles. If either failed, he was finished. In fact, the world might be finished, unless Tucker had somehow gotten word out on his opponent's weakness. Putting that thought aside, he pulled out the Fenton Thermos.

Undergrowth let out a laugh. "You're actually going to try and catch me? I'm sorry to disappoint you, child, but I'm still much too powerful for you to capture. But to be sporting, I'll let you try it just once. Go ahead, use your little toy."

Danny smiled. "With pleasure," he said, firing a beam from the Thermos.

A beam that passed right by Undergrowth.

It took a quarter of a second for the plant master to realize something was wrong. He turned and found, to his horror that the beam was meant not for him, but for Sam.

Sam, caught off guard by the attack, failed to put up any defense as the beam began to pull her forward.

Danny gave a triumphant smile. It looked like the first gamble had an out come in his favor. Namely, that Sam had enough ectoplasm in her to be caught by the Fenton Thermos.

Undergrowth made a grab for his surrogate daughter, but to no avail. She was pulled into the Fenton Thermos.

Instantly the plant ghost went into a rage. "Release her!" he demanded.

Danny held up the Thermos and gave a mocking smile. "Come and get her," he taunted, phasing back through the wall.

He immediately transformed back into his ghostly self and began flying away at the fasted speed he could muster. This was fortunate, because not a moment later Undergrowth busted through the prison wall in a very impressive display of rage-fueled strength.

The halfa sped forward, heading directly toward the Ghost Portal that had been repaired not a week earlier. As he sped forward, Undergrowth was a step behind him. "Boy, I'll destroy you when I catch you!" he threatened.

Soon, the portal was in sight. Half a minute later, he was right in front of it.

He passed through it and into the lab.

Undergrowth followed a minute later.

Ember, who had been standing to one side of the portal as Danny had instructed, activated her hair and unleashed a wave of fire onto the plant ghost. Youngblood, who was standing on the other side and was not about to be left out, shot a wave of fire from one of his many mechanical hand weapons.

Danny pointed the thermos at the stretcher Mr. and Mrs. Manson had waiting and pressed the button. Sam came pouring out and unto the said device.

Undergrowth screamed in intense pain as his body began to burn away. He began to thrash wildly, but both Ember and Youngblood were smart enough to back away a bit and the Mansons were waiting near the back of the lab.

Jeremy and Pamela quickly strapped the previous occupant of the Fenton Thermos down. It wasn't until they were finished that they realized their captive was a ghostly version of their own daughter. But even this revelation didn't get them to release her, because she was thrashing wildly against her ghost proof restraints, yelling out words that would have gotten her grounded under any other circumstance.

"Enough…enough!" Undergrowth yelled, her strength building. Danny gave the signal for the pair to back off, which they did. This was fortunate, because a second later their opponent regained his composure and shook the attacks off. "You…little…worm! I'll…"

Undergrowth never finished his threat. Danny summoned the last of his strength into a beam of ice, which he fired with full force. The attack hit its target square in the chest.

"No! No!" was all the plant master could scream before the ice covered him, encasing him in a crystal prison.

Danny dropped to his knees, his breath coming out in sharp, ragged gasps. It was at this point the others noticed how severely injured the boy was.

"Whoa, dipstick, what happened to you?" Ember asked, sounding somewhat concerned.

"Geez, Phantom, I knew you were tough, but man," Youngblood commented.

Danny didn't answer. Instead he pointed the Fenton Thermos at the still frozen ghost and pressed the button. The blue light shot out and caught its target in its grip. A few moments later Undergrowth was now the thermos' latest prisoner.

Capping the cylinder off, he smiled. "Looks like I win," he said. Then, the weight of all his injuries sunk in, and he collapsed.


	11. Kisses

A/N: Okay, my next chapter's ready. I am really nervous about it. You'll see why in a moment.

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom copyright Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon, Billionfold, and Viacom.

* * *

When Danny awoke, a strange sensation greeted him. It took a few minutes for his still-hazy mind to comprehend what it was. He was underwater. 

But…no, that couldn't be it. He could still breathe perfectly, and he felt too warm to be in his ghost form. Eventually, he opened his eyes.

He was in a tube, very similar to the one Frostbite had placed him in many months ago. In fact, he saw one of the yeti creatures standing before him, holding a clipboard and gazing at him. Once more, he had been stripped down, and was wearing a mask that allowed him to breathe comfortably.

"He awakens," the yeti noted, turning to another one, who was working a control panel.

"Good. The treatment is complete, anyway," he said, pressing a few buttons at his station.

Instantly, water began to empty from the small chamber, leaving from a small drain in the floor. When the last of the liquid had been drained out, the glass tube slid open.

Danny took a moment to take in the surroundings. He realized that he was still in his parent's lab, though neither them nor any other familiar faces could be seen. He looked down at his body. Like before, he had been stripped down for treatment. That was the first thing he noticed. The second was the fact that his injuries were gone. Despite being stabbed in the chest repeatedly, his muscles were whole. In fact, he felt as good as new. How long had he been out?

"Glad to see you're awake, Great One," the first yeti said, handing him a towel.

The halfa took it and began to dry himself off. "What happened?"

"You received great damage in your battle against Undergrowth. After you passed out, your friends didn't know what to do. Fortunately the DGA called us in to treat you."

"How long was I out?" he asked.

"Twenty three hours, forty three minutes, and seventeen seconds exactly," the second yeti said, reading the stats on his controls.

Danny couldn't believe it. He had spent nearly a whole day in recovery just from one fight. Then another thought occurred to him. "What happened to my friends?"

"They're fine," the yeti noted, handing Danny a set of his trademark white t-shirt and blue jeans. "They're waiting upstairs for news on your recovery. We'll go fetch them for you." With that, they both moved toward the exit of the lab.

Danny was back in his regular clothes when the first one came.

"Danny!" Danielle cried as she phased through the ceiling. Before he could prepare himself his genetic copy tackled him to the ground in a fierce hug. "Danny, I was so worried…"

"Aw, come on, you think some giant pile of rabbit food could take me down? I'm too tough for him," he said proudly, returning the hug. Their parents and sister soon joined them. Maddie fiercely kissed her son's face, glad that her son was okay.

"Aw, Mom, I'm fine," Danny complained. He then received bone-crushing hugs from both his dad and sister. Valerie and Tucker came next.

"Danny, I came as soon as I heard what happened," the techno geek commented as he and Valerie gave hugs of their own. Amorpho, Ember, and Youngblood stayed in the distance, giving meager hellos as their greetings.

"Danny, we're so sorry," Maddie said, crying a bit.

"For what?"

"Attacking you. We all hurt you when…"

"Ah, forget it. It's Undergrowth's fault, not yours."

"But…" his mother began.

"Don't worry about it. Now, what happened after I blacked out?" the halfa finally managed to ask.

"Well, after you caught Undergrowth, we all went back to normal," Danielle explained. "By then, the DGA had pretty much finished things up. All of Walker's guards have been caught. Kaufman left yesterday to take them to a newly-built ghost prison."

"Well, I guess that's…" he trailed off as a horrible thought occurred to him. "Where's Sam?"

The moment he asked that, he noticed the others getting nervous. He started to panic. "What happened to her? Is she okay?"

"She's fine," Maddie said, calming her son. "But…she's not exactly the same as before."

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"Danny…she's free from Undergrowth. But…the ectoplasm didn't leave her body."

Danny's eyes hazed over as he processed that bit of information. "Are you saying…she's half-ghost?"

Maddie nodded weakly. "We don't quite understand why it stayed this time. It could be the compounding of the ectoplasm from her previous possession. It could be a side effect of having the Fenton Thermos used on her. The ectoplasm could have fused even tighter when she was sucked in. The yetis spliced a little of their ectoplasm into her to change her enough to prevent Undergrowth from using her again, but her powers are still there."

Danny winced at the last statement. Had he inadvertently cursed his girlfriend with ghost powers?

Maddie noticed this instantly. "Now, Danny, don't blame yourself for this."

"But…" he managed to get out before his mother interrupted again.

"Just a moment ago you were telling us this was all Undergrowth's fault. That goes for Sam's condition as well."

Danny tried to respond, but the retort died in his throat. He knew his mother spoke the truth, but guilt still throbbed in his heart. "Where is she?" he asked weakly.

"She's upstairs, in your room."

"…I better go talk to her," he said, passing his friends and walking up the stairs.

* * *

As if the trek up the stairs hadn't been bad enough, Danny found himself in an extremely awkward situation when he reached the first floor and found Jeremy and Pamela Manson sitting in the Fentons' living room. When they became aware of his presence, they looked at him with an unreadable expression. 

Danny cringed. This was it. Dragging Sam into ghost-fighting had been bad enough, but having her kidnapped and coming back as a half-ghost hybrid was too much. They were going to yell at him, blame him, reinstate the restraining order…

Imagine his surprise when Pamela crossed the room and pulled him into a hug.

Danny blinked. Had he missed something? "Wha…"

"Thank you," she said.

"You're not mad?" he asked incredulously.

"Why would we be?" the woman asked. "You saved our little girl."

"But…" This time it was Jeremy who cut him off.

"Daniel, your family told us you would try to blame yourself. You shouldn't. You brought Sam back, safe and sound."

"…You're alright with Sam being half-ghost?"

Pamela sighed. "It will take some getting used to…but she's still our daughter. We'll learn to live with it."

"Besides," Jeremy continued, "from what Tucker told us, she would have been possessed by the ghost whether or not she knew you. He was looking for a human who loved plants, wasn't he?" Danny nodded weakly. "And you never struck her while she was possessed, even though, if half of what she said she did to you is true, it might have been appropriate."

Danny couldn't believe his ears. Were these the same people that had threatened him with a restraining order once before? The same ones that had called him a punk, a troublemaker? Were they really thanking him for something that he was so sure they would _blame_ him for?

"I think you better go talk to Sammy," Pamela said, cutting into his thoughts. "She felt guilty after she came out of her trance."

Again, Danny was surprised…until he remembered what Undergrowth had forced her to do to him. Sighing, he began heading upstairs.

* * *

Extremely nervous about what he would find, the halfa nervously opened his bedroom door. 

Sam was there, laying on his bed, her face buried into his pillow. She looked like she was back to normal, but Danny knew better. Carefully, he crossed the room and sat on the edge of his bed. After a minute, he carefully placed his hand on her shoulder.

Surprised, the goth girl looked up at her boyfriend. Her eyes were red; obviously, she had been crying. Her cheeks were wet with tears, and she had a miserable expression on her face. Immediately after seeing him, however, she turned away.

"Sam…" the boy began, but Sam cut him off.

"How can you even look at me?" she demanded, her sadness still apparent in her voice. "After everything I did to you, how can you even stand to look at me?"

"Sam, you didn't do anything. Undergrowth was controlling you. Everything you did during that time was that stupid ghost's fault, not yours."

"But…"

"That's enough, Sam. I'm the one who should be sorry."

Sam looked up at him, disbelief clear through her misery. "What are you talking about?"

Danny sighed. "Sam…my mom says it might have been the Fenton Thermos that made your powers stick…I should have thought of something else…Now I've stuck you with all these powers, I…"

He was cut off by his girlfriend, who threw her arms around him and buried her head into his shoulder, her tears returning stronger than ever.

Instantly, he was filled with guilt and alarm. "Oh man, Sam, what did I say?"

"You're…you're so…" she tried to say through her tears. "How can you say this is your fault?"

"I should have done a better job of protecting you…"

"Shut up!" she cried. "Don't you dare blame yourself! You saved me! You…" she cried harder, her words disappearing in her sobs. Danny held her until she found the composure to speak again. "And don't think I would hate having powers," she said quietly. "I like the idea of being able to watch your back, but…I just wish I wouldn't have had to beat you so bad to get them. You probably won't even be able to stand seeing me like that."

"Sam, I'll love you no matter what you look like."

"Yeah, you say that _now_. But what about when you actually have to _see_ it?"

"Well, there's only one way to find out," he said. "Let's see it."

Sam was surprised. "Danny, are you sure?"

"I'll be fine with it. Unless you're not ready."

"No…no, I'm ready," she said, standing up.

At first, she seemed unsure. Then, two light green rings appeared around her waist. They each traveled into different directions until she was in her ghost form.

Sam looked away as Danny surveyed her form. There was the same matted hair, the same markings around her eyes, the same strapless green leaf dress that ended mid thigh, showing off her long legs and bare feet, the same gloves, and the same bands in the same places.

"Well, what do you see?" Sam asked, dreading the answer.

Danny cupped her chin and mover her head until she was looking into his eyes. That green glow did not encompass all her eyes as it had while she was in Undergrowth's control; only her irises glowed green now.

"I see the single most beautiful girl I have ever laid eyes on wearing what has to be the hottest thing she has ever worn," he said with a smirk. With that, he captured her lips in a searing kiss.

Sam, surprised at first, eventually started kissing back. She wrapped her arms around him as both teens savored the moment. For a moment, everything was perfect. What interrupted the kiss was Danny feeling something wrapping around his waist. He broke lips and looked down to see what it was. A set of vines had erupted from Sam's lower back and wrapped themselves around the teens, tightening their hug.

Sam blushed, releasing Danny. "Sorry, I guess I haven't quite learned how to control them."

Danny smiled, giving her a peck on the cheek. "It's alright. Besides, like I've said before, that outfit is hot."

"Yeah, well, don't get use to it," she said, transforming back into her human form. "I'm getting a costume that isn't so…revealing."

"Whatever you want, Sammy."

"Wait, what did you just call me?"

"Sammy?"

"Oh no, not even _you_ can get away with calling me that," she said angrily.

"Okay, how about I call you Cupcake?"

"What?" she shouted, her face getting red. "No!"

"Sweetie Pie?"

"No!"

"Honey Bunch?"

"Danny!" she shrieked, her face now deep red. "How cutesy are these names gonna get?"

"As cutesy as it takes until you pick one, Sugar Lips."

"Alright, fine! Call me Sammy!"

"Too late, you passed that already. Sugar Lips it is."

"What?" she cried in panic and anger. "No! Never!"

"Whatever you say, Pudding Pop."

"Okay, okay, fine, as long as it doesn't get any cuter than that, and not…in…public, understand?"

"As you wish," he said, kissing her again. "But I bet you're not sad anymore, are you?"

Sam stopped when he realized Danny's motives behind that nickname list. She grinned. "Why you sneaky halfa," she said before she leaned in and kissed him.

After the kiss broke, he looked at her. "You really do have sugar lips."

"Couldn't you have picked less cutesy nicknames?" she asked as she sat back on the bed.

Danny sat as well and pulled her into a hug. "How about…Dark Angel?"

"Now, _that's_ a nickname," she said before kissing him again.

* * *

"Now, isn't that sweet," Maddie asked hours later. 

Sam and Danny had fallen asleep in each other arms long ago. Witnessing this were both his parents and hers.

"Well, I have to admit, it is pretty romantic," Jeremy said. Pamela pulled the covers over both of them. Following that, both mothers planted kisses on their respective kids. "We should let them sleep."

"I agree," Pamela said as the parents left the room. "After all this, they deserve some rest."

* * *

No one knew that, at that point, Danny and Sam were being watched. 

Outside Danny's window was the Fright Knight. Both he and his steed were invisible, so they were not noticed. Add to that the fact that he had learned to fool most ghost scanners and he was virtually undetectable.

"Interesting," he noted, rubbing his chin. "But it matters not. Lord Plasmius will be back into your lives soon enough, children. Very soon…"

* * *

A/N: You can probably see why I was nervous. I knew giving Sam powers was a risk, and it might ruin the story. So, I asked a few friends what they thought. They all told me to go for it, so I did. Please tell me what you think. 


	12. Returns

A/N: Yeah, I know, I've been gone for awhile.

My number one excuse: school. I have essays to write, tests to take, and homework assignments to complete. It's exhausting. By the time I was able to write, I decided I should update my Fairly Oddparents fics, seeing as I've been neglecting them to write this.

Well, with this chapter we enter the final arc. Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom copyright Nickelodeon, Butch Hartman, Viacom, and Billionfold. I don't own it.

* * *

Sam liked dragons. In fact, she liked just about anything to do with fantasy, so long as it wasn't bright and so sweet it made her gag. But her love of dragons only extended to those in the fantasy novels she read. When they were real, they were a whole other story. Especially when they were breathing a large blast of fire in her direction.

And that precisely what Aragon was doing right now.

Fortunately, her boyfriend, who summoned a shield around them both, spared her from the touch of flames. While they were spared from being reduced to ashes, they were both sent into the ground by the dragon's massive claws, which batted them into the ground when the previous attack failed.

"Fool! I'm going to prove your victory previously was but a mere fluke! I'll make you pay for taking my kingdom from me!" The dragon bellowed as he let loose another massive blast of fire.

As both half-ghosts dodged, Danny couldn't help but groan. Why couldn't Dora have kept him under lock and key? After he was booted off his throne, the misogynistic prince had been banished to the dungeons of the castle. Which made it very unusual when he suddenly showed up in Amity Park nearly a month ago. But before he could get any answers, Masters' Blasters caught him. Wherever they had put him, it obviously hadn't been secure enough, because he was loose again.

Sam, now separated from her boyfriend, activated four vines, which sprouted from her back. True to her word, she had opted for a more modest version of her previous costume. The same green dress from before was there, but she was wearing a leafy set of pants of a darker shade of green. They were skintight and ended at her ankles, which were continued by a pair of elf-like shoes that were the same shade of green as her gloves. At her top, the dress still ended just above her chest, but a shirt she was wearing underneath continued it. It was long sleeved, the ends covered up by her gloves. It still looked good, and at the same time it wasn't so revealing that her parents forbade her from wearing it.

Sam had only had her powers for about four months, so she was still having trouble controlling them. Fortunately, Aragon was more concerned with Danny, so she was able to float behind him undetected. While the dragon was attempting to swat the male halfa out of the air, the plant ghost shot her vines forward, causing them to wrap around the fearsome creature's mouth. Caught by surprise, the former Prince shook his head around wildly, trying to shake the female halfa off.

Now, the vines Sam was capable of producing were as strong as steel, which Danny had learned firsthand during his first encounter with Undergrowth so long ago. However, having a weapon and using it effectively are two separate things. Namely, the young woman's grip with her vines still wasn't as masterful. As such, Aragon was able to open his maw and free himself before Sam or Danny could do anything effectively. Almost immediately afterward, the tyrant turned around and grabbed Sam in one of his oversized claws.

"Wench! Now you actually ride into battle? It's time you learn your place!" he roared, tightening his hold on the plant girl. Fortunately, he didn't get much of a chance to do any damage, because at that moment a well-aimed ectoblast from Danny hit the dragon in the back of the hand, causing him to release his hold. Then, the male halfa fired an ice blast into the dragon's mouth, causing him to rear back and shake his head.

However, a quick blast of fire melted the ice, and Aragon was back into battle, now more determined to make sure that halfas became extinct.

As they dodged the incoming fire blast, a second question ran through Danny and Sam's mind. Why had Aragon made an alliance with Hotep-Ra?

* * *

In truth, Aragon's alliance with the mummy ghost wasn't a true team-up. The medieval had accidentally wandered into the area he and his minions were camped out one day. When they discovered they were both planning to attack Amity Park, they figured it would be best to attack simultaneously. Hotep wanted to avoid confronting Danny if at all possible, while that was all Aragon wanted to do. Neither cared if the other one succeeded in their plan, but agreed their chances were better combined.

The results of both attacks were seen in the streets. While a majority of Aragon's citizens were quite glad he was gone, two were still loyal. They were the same that had assisted Dora in keeping Danny distracted. The half ghost knew them only as Archer and Axe Raider, and those two were the ones keeping Jack and Maddie from helping their son.

Jack fired a few blasts from the ectogun he was using, but Archer merely dodged, then fired an arrow. The big man managed to roll out of the way, while the arrow embedded itself deep into the side of a nearby building. Maddie, meanwhile, performed a back flip to avoid the swing of Raider's oversized axe, then fired with her ectobazooka, effectively knocking the large ghost back.

Meanwhile, a block away, Hotep-Ra's men were attacking the remaining members of Team Phantom. The armies of Ra-like bird soldiers and Anubis-like dog men were relatively weak individually, but when they attacked en masse the proved to be quite formidable.

But they were not formidable enough to match wits with Amity Park's defenders. Valerie was cutting down several soldiers with her gun blocks. Danni fired an ectoblast, knocking an Anubis down, while Youngblood launched a ball of energy, courtesy of his hook, morphed into a slingshot, straight between the eyes of a Ra.

"Ha! Take that, ya scurvy hogs!"

"That's scurvy dogs," both Parrot and Danielle corrected.

"Seriously, if you can't speak the lingo, you shouldn't cosplay," the young halfa said, firing another blast.

"Ah, shut up," the pirate ghost said, shooting another ball. When the soldier's got to close, he unsheathed his sword and began fighting at close range. "Man, I wish Phantom would lift that shield from around my ship so I could get my crew back."

"The Observants would only confiscate them anyway," Parrot sighed.

A few feet away, Valerie and Amorpho were battling more of Hotep's men. After taking down Undergrowth, the shape-shifting ghost had decided to continue assisting Danny when he could, if only for the attention. He wouldn't necessarily go out of his way to help, but if the attack was on Amity Park he was more than willing to lend his skills to the battle. Of course, a battle in the streets was more than enough to get his attention, so he was ready to battle.

"Man, there's no end to these things!" the Huntress complained, blasting a Ra soldier.

"Indeed," the faceless ghost agreed, cutting down another. "Maybe we should focus on finding the leader. Where is he, anyway?"

"Wait, didn't Danny mention that he tried to take over Tucker the first time he met him?"

At that, both human and ghost reached the same conclusion. "City Hall!"

Immediately Amorpho flew toward the aforementioned building, but Valerie stopped him. "What about Danni and Youngblood? Are you sure they can handle themselves alone?"

The faceless ghost looked at the two kids. Danielle was throwing blasts with her best accuracy, while Youngblood was cutting down ghosts with his cutlass like he had been doing it for years (which, considering that he previously didn't age, wasn't an unfair assumption).

"They'll be fine," the ghost said before taking off. After another moment's hesitation, Valerie followed.

* * *

Tucker peered nervously out of the curtains of his office. When he had heard that Hotep-Ra was back, he had become extremely nervous. The mummy ghost was certainly going to seek him out for defeating him previously. Which is why he was huddled behind his desk with Jazz, who had delivered the warning personally.

"Tucker, relax," the carrot top said, "the others will stop that guy before he gets here."

"I'd believe that if he was acting alone. Hotep is actually a pushover alone. But Aragon is another story. Danny's last fight with him almost ended the slow and painful way before Dora stepped in. I'm not sure he'll be able to handle him before his friend gets here."

"You are correct, he won't," a new voice stated. Tucker visibly stiffened, readying an ectogun that he had been holding in his hand as a bit of added protection. Jazz was doing the same when he faded into view. Hotep-Ra was there, giving and evil grin, Duulaman's scepter in his hand.

"Hello, Pharaoh," the ghost said with a mocking tone coating the words.

Both teens responded by readying their weapons. "I'm going to make you wish you had never crawled out of that sarcophagus," the mayor said.

The Egyptian ghost just laughed. "You? You have no sphinx to serve you now. What can you do?"

Despite himself, Tucker grinned. "Plenty."

* * *

Danny and Sam's battle hadn't been progressing well. The dragon proved to be very durable, very strong, and very determined to crush both halfas in his claws.

Which, unfortunately, was the case now. Both half-ghosts were in one of Aragon's fists, slowly being crushed to death. "Now, you pitiful creatures will pay for robbing me of my royal birthright!"

After years of ghost fighting, Danny had yet to understand why his enemies felt the need to monologue. It opened up too many possibilities for the good guys to strike back. Like, say, his girlfriend lashing a vine forward and snatching a powerful amulet right off his neck. Which is exactly what happened.

Aragon suddenly found himself being much shorter. As realization washed over him, he dared to look up at his opponents, who were giving him glares. After a moment, he managed to give a weak smile.

Danny responded by sucking him inside the Fenton Thermos. After capping it off, he turned to his girlfriend. "Well, that was fun."

"Yeah, but how are the others doing?"

* * *

Valerie and Amorpho busted through the doors of Tucker's office, only to be met with a horrifying sight.

Hotep-Ra was on the floor, unconscious. That was good, until they realized Jazz was on the ground as well, not looking too well either. But the worst sight of all was Tucker, who was standing on his desk with the scepter in his hands and an evil look on his face.

Valerie was the first to speak. "Tucker?"

"That's right!" the boy declared in a booming voice. "And now that I have the scepter, I'm going to rule this town with an iron fist!"

Remembering what Danny had told them about his previous encounter with the mummy ghost, both fighters readied their weapons. "Tucker…" the red Huntress said slowly, "don't make us fight you. We're friends."

"Fool! I'll…" And then, something broke the boy's intimidating appearance: laughter. It started as a giggle, then broke down into full fledged laughter. Both human and ghost lowered their weapons and stared in confusion. It only increased when Jazz began tittering as well.

"Y-you should have seen the looks on your faces!" Tucker laughed. "You actually thought I was…" he got out before descending into uncontrollable laughter.

"I-I'm sorry," Jazz said through her own laughs, "but when Tucker asked me to, I couldn't resist."

Both human and ghost put on annoyed looks when they realized the whole thing had been a prank. Valerie shook her head and sucked the still unconscious ghost into her thermos.

* * *

"Well, here you are," Valerie said, placing her thermos in front of the agents. By now, All of Team Phantom, as well as Agents Kaufman and Marmel, were gathered in Tucker's office. "One captured ghost leader."

"And one captured ghost army," Youngblood said as he and Danni placed two more thermoses on the table.

"Excellent," Kaufman noted. "Now, where are Aragon and his followers?"

"Right here," Danny noted as he and his parents held up their own thermoses. "All ready for transport."

"Perfect. However, they will not be sent to our ghost holding facilities."

That puzzled the team. "What? Why?"

"Well, they are wanted in Aragon first and foremost. Under international law, they will be tried and punished under their laws. Then, when that sentence is up, they will be turned over to us to serve whatever punishment we have to give."

"Ouch," Danny mentioned.

"Speaking of which, Aragon's representatives should be here within a few days to collect him," Marmel noted.

"Alright. Where are they going to be kept until then?" Danny asked.

"We were hoping you wouldn't mind keeping them at FentonWorks until they arrive."

"That would work," Jack noted, taking the thermoses from his wife and son. "Maybe we could find out how that amulet works in the meantime."

"Also, I need to have a word with Danny. Could you come with me?"

"Uh, sure," the halfa answered, a bit confused. He turned to the group. "I'll see you guys back at the house," he promised before leaving Tucker's office, following Kaufman down the hall.

* * *

Once they were in an unoccupied conference room, Kaufman turned to the boy with a serious look on his face. "It's about Vlad."

Instantly Danny froze up. Was he finally back? He hadn't expected the former billionaire to stay in space forever, but he expected that he would spend more time planning. However, Kaufman's next words calmed him. "Don't worry, he hasn't returned to Earth. This is about his estate."

That got Danny's attention. "You mean all that money he had?"

"Yeah. We've been going over all his assets in the last few months. As we expected, he acquired a lot of them through illegal means, overshadowing businessmen, extortion, stuff like that. But even after peeling away all the illegal things he did, he still had quite a bit of money left."

"So…what does this have to do with me?" the half ghost asked.

"Well, we also came across his will. He left everything to you."

Danny stood there for a moment, processing what Kaufman had just told him. After some serious thinking, he found a response. "What?"

Kaufman handed him a legal paper. It was certainly Vlad's will, and everything was his. "We're assuming this is left over from back when he wanted you as a son," the agent said.

"I'm assuming," Danny agreed, remembering he had told the agents about all his previous exploits with Vlad months earlier.

"When we looked through his castle, we found a ghost that Plasmius had been keeping hostage, the Dairy King. After we confirmed that he hadn't been aiding him, we continued to let him stay there."

"The Dairy King? I've been wondering what happened to him. Maybe I should pay him a visit."

* * *

The next day found Danny and Sam in the Specter Speeder, flying to the castle that Vlad had previously called home. Even though they could both fly, the distance was far too much for them to want to make the trip themselves.

"So, why did Vlad leave you everything?" Sam asked as they saw the castle in the distance. "I thought that by the time he had become mayor he had given up on making you his heir."

"Guess he never got around to changing it, or maybe he was saving it for whatever clone of me survived," Danny mused as he prepared the craft for landing.

"Well, at least you get all his stuff. That makes one good thing that came out of knowing Vlad."

"You mean two. If it weren't for Vlad, I wouldn't have Danielle."

Sam sighed. "I guess…" she murmured.

"You don't like her, do you?"

"Well, she did betray you the first time you met her," the plant girl pointed out as the flying vehicle touched ground.

"That's because Vlad tricked her. Much smarter people have been fooled by him."

"I know," she said as they both left their craft. "But…you know me, I hold grudges."

"Yeah," the male halfa sighed as they made their way toward the door. "Look, could you at least try to get along with her?"

"I am trying. She is your sister, after all. Don't worry, I learned to like Jazz, I can learn to like Danielle."

Danny smiled, and then kissed his girlfriend's cheek. "Thanks, Sammy."

"I told you not to call me that!" she snapped. "Why do you keep calling me that?"

The halfa gave a smile. "Because you look cute when you're angry," he said smuggly, causing the girl's face to turn red from both anger and embarrassment.

Before the conversation could continue, Danny pushed the doors to the large castle open. "I can't believe Vlad paid to have this place rebuilt a third time," he muttered.

The castle was rebuilt the same way he had remembered it. Other then the fact that there was a layer of dust on everything, the elegant home looked orderly.

"Hello? Dairy King?" Danny shouted, scanning the room.

"Ah, ghost child, good to see ya," a gentle voice sounded. A few moments later, a ghost floated through the ceiling. It was the Dairy King, a little more ragged than the world's savior remembered him, but definitely him.

"Wow, I haven't seen you since you freed me when I first met Vlad."

"Oh, yeah, well, after I helped you, Plasmius found out and I had to flee. I managed to escape him for a while before he caught me. That was just before the Disasteroid came, don'tcha know?"

Immediately a question came to Danny's mind, but it was Sam who voiced it. "If you were in so much trouble, why didn't you go to Danny for help?"

"Didn't want ta cause him trouble. Besides, he woulda looked there first, and I heard his parents were ghost hunters, I was trying to avoid that kinda thing."

"Makes sense," Danny shrugged.

"Anyway, those agents said that it was up ta you on whether or not I could stay here," the faux king brought the subject up, hoping for a certain answer.

"Relax, you can stay," Danny assured. "We probably won't be here much anyway. It'll be a vacation home at most. Besides, my little sister doesn't even want to set foot in this place."

"Yeah, we just came by to tell you that," Sam continued. "I mean, you don't have phone service here."

"Well, it got disconnected without Vlad to pay tha bill, don'tcha know."

"Yeah, well, maybe we'll find a good use for this place. I'm coming back with the rest of my family in about a week to go through this place, but make yourself at home," Danny invited.

"Can't thank ya enough, child. Care for a snack before ya go?" the kindly ghost offered.

"No thanks, we really need to get back to Amity Park. Ghosts to fight, homework to do, that kind of stuff."

"Well alright then. I'll see you, then."

* * *

About an hour later the Dairy King was flying down the hallways of the castle, getting reacquainted with his home. In truth, he hoped the Fentons visited often, because the castle was quite lonely when it was just him. As he wandered the grounds, he wished he had someone to talk to.

"Feeling lonely, are we?" a voice asked.

"Why, ye--…"

The King froze. He was supposed to be alone. Worst off, he recognized that voice.

Before he could react, a blast of red ectoplasm struck the back of his head, rendering him unconscious.

As he fell to the floor, Vlad Plasmius walked up behind him, red ectoplasm still smoking on his hand, followed by the Fright Knight.

"Kind of fitting that I begin my reign as king of the planet from a castle. My plans won't fail this time, and Daniel, Jack, and the rest will pay for their insolence."


	13. Attacks

A/N: Well, here it is, chapter 13. Hope you all enjoy! BTW, if I get the symptoms of pregnancy wrong, someone tell me please.

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom copyright Nickelodeon, Butch Hartman, Viacom, and Billionfold. I don't own it. Also, I kind of snaked the joke at the start off a MADTV sketch. I don't own that either

* * *

Danny always enjoyed it when there was a slow day when it came to ghost attacks. It allowed him to relax and enjoy some free time, which was even more sparse than it had been before the Disasteroid incident.

For Danielle, however, it was another story. Unlike her brother, she loved adventure, so a day without a ghost to fight was boring to her. All there was to do was watch television.

"_And now, back to The Wizard of Oz: Special Director's Cut," the announcer said._

"_I just want to go home!" Dorothy cried, tears_ _in her eyes._

"_Oh, that's simple," Glinda said gleefully. "You've always had the power to go home."_

"…_Excuse me?" Dorothy said in an accusing tone._

"_Why didn't you just tell her that?" Scarecrow asked curiously._

"_She wouldn't have believed me," the good witch answered._

"_You mean despite the fact I believed everything you told me, including that the Wizard was great and powerful?"_

"_Well…yes."_

"…_How do I get home?" the Kansas girl asked, clearly holding in anger._

"_You just click your heels…"_

"_Click my heels?" Dorothy asked in disbelief and anger._

"_Yes, and then say…'there's no place like home, there's no place like home!'" the good fairy said, waving her wand. Dorothy just looked at her with angry shock._

"_Are you telling me I could have been home almost immediately after I got here, and yet you sent me all across Oz, going through hell and back to kill the Wicked Witch? Why would you do that?" the girl shrieked._

"_I was trying to teach you a lesson."_

_For a moment, there was a thick tension in the air. Then, Dorothy tackled the so-called good fairy to the ground and began to punch her wildly in the face._

"_Why you two-faced witch!" she shrieked as she delivered her attacks. Meanwhile, Lion and Tin Man tried to pull her off._

"Hey Danielle," Danny said as he phased into the living room. Danni couldn't help but notice that her brother had a fork in his arm.

"What happened?"

"Well, I was sitting in the kitchen, eating lunch, when Ember accused me of staring at her because she was getting fat with her baby inside her. When I tried to tell her she still looked fine, she stabbed me," he said, pulling his fork out of his arm. "So, what's up?"

"Just watching TV until Youngblood gets out of his session," she said as she flipped the channel.

"Ah, Jazz finally got him to sit down and talk, huh?" the older halfa commented as he sat down on the couch next to her. "How'd she talk him into it?"

"She didn't. The Observants made him as part of his punishment."

"Geez, how many hoops are they going to make him jump through before they let him off for releasing Vortex?"

"Well, he told me they gave him two years of probation when they sentenced him, but they knocked off a year since he joined our team willingly."

"Yeah, because the commander's little sister gave him 'Bambi-eyes' until he gave in," Danny remarked, ruffling the girl's hair.

Danielle rubbed the back of her neck, a habit she had picked up from hanging around her brother too much. "Yeah, anyway, they decided to use him to promote the integration plan. So they made him start going to school. Now they decided it would help if he started having sessions with Jazz since she's starting to get attention."

Danny nodded. Despite still being a senior in high school, Jazz's studies were already receiving attention from professionals. It seemed that part of it was being the sister of the famous Danny Phantom, but a good deal of it was that she was making the first breakthroughs in the field.

"Well, I hope he's having fun," Danny muttered as he turned his attention to the television.

* * *

"This whole thing is stupid," Youngblood muttered, who used the word stupid to describe anything he did not personally enjoy.

"Come on, I promise it won't be that bad," the eldest Fenton child promised as she pressed record on the recorder. "All right, tell my about your life before you died."

"Fine. When I was alive, my name was Jason Thompson.

"I was the second kid in my family. I had an older brother named Chad. He was the reason I hated my life so much. He was a perfect son. He always got straight A's, he was the star quarterback on his high school, he was…perfect. Me, I was the screw up. In third grade, they said I had dy…dy…you know, that thing where you can't read? No matter how hard I studied, I couldn't keep up with the class. My parents were always telling me, 'Why can't you be more like your brother?' He was perfect.

"But only when they were looking. As soon as their backs were turned, he was just a thug. He'd go out and paint things on walls and wreck mailboxes and stuff like that. He also picked on other kids, and I was his favorite target. Every day he'd punch me, tease me, and give me wedgies, noogies, and every other horrible thing that bullies have invented. I tried to tell my parents about what he did, but every time they'd punish me because they thought I was lying.

"I couldn't stand anything in the real world, so whenever I could I'd lock myself in my room and pretend I was something else, anything to escape the real world. I liked pretending to be a cowboy and an astronaut, but my favorite was pretending to be a pirate. Pirates didn't need to follow rules, and if anyone messed with them, they'd just shoot them.

"One day, Chad picked me up from school. As soon as I saw him, I knew something was wrong. He was swaying and talking weird. After a minute, I realized he was drunk. I tried to tell him it was a bad idea to drive, but he just slapped me and told me to shut up. I got in the car with him, and I was sure something bad would happen.

"I was right. He crashed the car right into a tree. He walked right out without a scratch, but I was stuck inside. The last thing I remember before passing out was the car caving in and crushing my hand.

"I woke up in the Ghost Zone just like I am now. The hand and foot that got smashed were turned into my hook and peg leg. Parrot was on my shoulder, not remembering anything before then. The other ghosts told me the form that a ghost takes after they die is like what they wanted in life; Parrot was a part of that.

"I was sad about being dead for five minutes before I realized something. Being dead meant no more Chad, no more stupid parents, and no overbearing teachers. I was free from everything.

"I started to practice my powers. I found out I could transform my hook and peg leg into anything I wanted. I also found out I could turn into a cowboy or an astronaut, but not for long. I would turn back into a pirate after a day. I also began exploring the bottom floor of the Ghost Zone and found a bunch of skeleton ghosts. Technus told me once that they were left over from humans that completely cross over to the other life. They're brainless, so they look for more powerful ghosts to take orders from. I learned the right words to control them and told them to build me a ship. They built the basic ship quickly, but they couldn't make it move.

"That's when I met Ember. After I told her my problem, she came up with a plan. She made that music that brainwashed adults and began playing it through Amity Park. While she was doing that, I began stealing everything else we needed to make the plan work. It was so easy because I realized adult humans couldn't see me. I was glad. They had caused me enough problems, I didn't want to deal with them."

There was a moment of silence, as Youngblood was unsure of whether or not to state this next fact. "You promise that no one else will hear about this?"

"I promise. You can tell me anything and it will never leave this room," the eldest Fenton child promised.

"Well, I really liked Ember. She was the first person over twelve that wasn't either a clueless moron or a complete jerk. She understood me, and she was willing to help me. She even dressed like a member of my crew. I…well, I kinda thought of her as a big sister."

That caused Jazz to pause for a moment. "But you barely say anything to each other. What happened?"

"She ditched me. When we invaded Amity Park, your brother got in the way. The moment things started going wrong she just left, like I was nothing to her. Then, to make things worse, that geek left me trapped in my own ship at the bottom of the water."

There was a moment of silence before Jazz spoke. "Would you like me to arrange a session with both you and Ember so you can work that out?"

"No!" the pirate ghost yelled. "I don't want anything to do with her anymore!"

"Are you sure?" the teen asked gently. "I've been having sessions with her, and she seems to care about you."

"R-really?" the boy asked in a surprised tone that was unlike him. "Well, maybe…I don't know."

"You don't have to decide now. Think it over this week. For now, just continue with what you were saying."

"Well, I was stuck in there for weeks before you guys came through. I wanted revenge on your brother for messing up all my hard work. When Phantom freaked out and you guys thought he was crazy, I got an idea. I made sure to attack him when only adults were around. With enough attacks, people began to think he was crazy.

"But he beat me again and sent me back to the Ghost Zone. I lost, but my plan impressed the other ghosts, so I became pretty popular. But I refused to speak to Ember. I didn't even say hi to her at the Christmas party when we went and beat on Ghost Writer.

"I decided getting revenge on Phantom was more trouble than it was worth. So I began looking for a way to get back to my old ship. I asked Technus and Skulker for something to help me through, but they just laughed me off. The only ghosts I asked willing to help me were Box Ghost, the Lunch Lady, and Kitty, and none of them could help. So I was stuck for a while, but I could build some of it myself.

"Then Phantom came tearing through the Ghost Zone on Johnny's motorcycle yelling something about an ecto-missile. We formed a temporary truce and stopped it. We did so good the Observants offered to thank us personally. The other three turned it down, but I decided to go. While I was waiting for the ceremony to start, I explored the building. I eventually found the prison area. While looking around, I accidentally pressed the wrong button and a ghost named Vortex got out.

"The Observants were mad. They canceled the ceremony and blamed it on me, even though it was an accident. They took away my power to be invisible to adults. Then they just let me go, saying they'd call me in for the rest of my punishment later.

"After I left, I noticed something. Without my power to hide myself, I had a lot of extra energy. It was enough to levitate my ship myself. So, after my ship was finished, I decided to go out to Amity Park to have a little fun. But when I got to the high school Plasmius' stupid team caught me. Vlad let me go right after that. He said he'd destroy me if I left the Ghost Zone before his plan was done. But that was before he screwed everything up.

"After the asteroid was gone the Observants told me the rest of my punishment. It was to go to school for the big plan. I hated it, but that's where I met Danielle. I decided to join Phantom's team since I couldn't have my fun anymore."

"Alright, we got a lot out of that," Jazz said, scribbling notes on her note pad. "So, how does it feel to be on Danny's team?"

"Well…"

Danielle, who phased into the room, cut off the young ghost. "Guys, there's a ghost attacking the town! Danny said he wants everyone to come for this one."

"Why?" Youngblood asked as Jazz turned off the recorder.

"I don't know, but he seemed freaked out when Kaufman called him and described the ghost. I heard it looked like a knight on a black horse."

* * *

Axion Labs was one of the greatest technological companies in the world. Having their main office in Amity Park, they inevitably began manufacturing ghost hunting items and defense items. In fact, the security system, designed by Damon Gray with a little help from the Fentons, was considered one of the best developed.

Still, this was not stopping the Fright Knight from breaking in.

The spirit of Halloween galloped through the hallways, well aimed ectoblasts from his sword disabling any weapons that might have stopped him.

Machines were not the only things getting in his way. Several security guards blocked the hallways, firing ectoguns at him and his steed. Unfortunately, the attacks were little consequence to such an old and powerful ghost. The guards were swiftly defeated, earning only broken bones and horseshoe prints on their uniforms for their courage.

However, even with the actual security down, there was still one ghost hunter who was determined not to let history repeat itself.

"Hey, ghost! I'm giving you five seconds to get out of here!" the Red Hunter shouted as she floated in front of the ancient ghost.

"Ah, Plasmius' old pawn. You served us well back when he reigned."

"So, Vlad's behind this?" Valerie inquired.

"That is none of your concern, wench," the Knight stated as he readied the Soul Shredder.

"What did you call me?" the Red Hunter demanded, clenching her fists.

"You heard my words. These modern ideas are blasphemous. Things were better back in Lord Pariah's time when your kind knew their place."

Wrong thing to say. Valerie, seething with anger, opened the gun compartment on the bottom of her jet sled, blasting the Knight off his mount. Unfortunately, the horse responded by galloping forward, ramming the hunter out of the air and into a wall. She might have been trampled to death if it hadn't been for Danny, who had luckily chosen to show up at that time and blast the ghostly horse off of his ex-girlfriend.

"Need a hand?" the ghost boy asked as he helped the girl to her feet. Immediately she remounted her jet sled and activated her gun blocks. At the same time Sam, Danielle, Youngblood, and Amorpho phased into the room, ready to battle.

"It r-really is the Fright Knight," Amorpho gulped. Youngblood looked worried as well. Being former residents of the Ghost Zone, they knew full well who the fearsome ghost before them was, and how powerful he was.

"So, this is the opposition," the Knight noted as he rose to his feet, blade in hand. "I suppose Phantom will take anyone with ectoplasm these days," he added, eyeing Danielle and Youngblood.

The two kids responded by blasting the aged warrior, but he merely brushed them off and charged forward, swinging his sword.

"Hit him hard, hit him fast, and whatever you do, don't let the sword touch you!" Danny shouted as his team scattered in different directions as the Knight swung his sword into the group. As they scattered, the ghost boy fired an ectoblast at the aged warrior, which struck him in the shoulder. Danni and Youngblood followed this up with attacks of their own, but it didn't even seem to faze the Knight.

"Fools! Against a warrior of my caliber, your attacks are mere annoyances," the Knight boasted as he lunged forward, attempting to send his opponents to the Dimension of Fear. He didn't get far before powerful vines, courtesy of Sam, wrapped around him.

"Wench!" the Knight cried as he struggled. "I'll see to it you…"

Whatever his threat was, it was never finished, as Danny chose that moment to fly forward and deliver the strongest punch he could muster. This was followed by blasts from Danielle, Youngblood, and Valerie, which caused the warrior's escape attempts to pause momentarily. The remainder of the Fenton family, who had finally made it into the room, silently wishing they could turn intangible, further slowed the process with attacks of their own.

"Insolent little worms!" the Knight bellowed as he finally tore free from his restraints. "I'll teach you some respect!"

Unfortunately, in the melee Team Phantom forgot about one very important detail: the Fright Knight's horse. Unhappy with being ignored, the mount rammed into Amorpho, sending the shape-shifting ghost into the wall across from him. Danni and Youngblood, who were floating next to him, backed up in fear.

"Ah, my steed, kindly trample these fools!" the knight ordered. The horse responded, galloping forward toward the still dazed ghost. Fortunately, Amorpho regained his bearings in time to dodge the attack, flying down the hallways at top speed. The horse followed, with Youngblood and Danielle following, hoping to give their teammate backup.

"Your friends will be crushed under my mighty steed's hooves!" the Knight threatened as he swung the Soul Shredder.

"That's what you think!" Danny taunted as he dodged the attack. "The three of them are tougher than they look."

* * *

The steed's run was interrupted by two ectoblasts to his rump. It caused him to stop long enough for Youngblood and Danni to fly past him, giving childish taunting expressions. Angrily, the horse doubled his speed, continuing to fill the hallway with hoof beats until he came to a new room.

He screeched to a halt. He was most perplexed to find his master standing there.

"My steed, stand down," the Knight ordered.

The horse stood there, confused. Hadn't he just left his master? What was he doing here?

"Steed! Stand down or you shall be punished!"

That got him to comply. He knew how harsh his master could be. He powered down his energy. Immediately after this happened, he began to feel himself pulled to one side.

Once the horse was inside, Danni capped off her thermos. She turned to the "Knight," who smiled under his helmet.

"As you young people would say…sucker!" Amorpho commented as he transformed back into himself.

* * *

The Knight wasn't faring too well. He was powerful, true, but Team Phantom's numbers were beginning to overwhelm him. He simply couldn't fight this many powerful opponents at once.

By now, the battle had moved to outside the lab. After a triple attack from Danny, Maddie, and Valerie knocked the Knight right through a steel wall, it seemed they would win.

However, if a winner could have been decided, it never was, because in the middle of their battle a sudden green flash lit up the sky. The brawl stopped for a moment as all considered this. The Knight suddenly turned to his opponents. "We'll shall finish our quarrel at a later date," he exclaimed, rising into the air. Then he whistled. "Come, my steed!" he cried.

Nothing happened.

"My steed?" he questioned. Suddenly, Amorpho appeared before him, holding a Fenton Thermos in triumph.

"I'm sorry, but your horse is mine now," he said smugly.

The Knight flared up in anger. "Insolent cur!" he exclaimed, drawing the Soul Shredder. "I'll teach you some respect!"

The group prepared to continue their melee, but something unusual happened. The Knight just stopped, seeming to freeze in place. A strange red glow surrounded him. After a moment, he shook it off, and then glared at the group with renewed hatred.

"When we next meet, you shall suffer greatly for this insult!" With that, he faded away, narrowly missing Danny and Valerie, who both made a dive in an attempt to tackle him.

"He got away," Danny groaned. He noticed that Agent Kaufman and Marmel were arriving in a DGA van. As they got out, they both groaned, disappointed at having missed the action.

"What happened?" Kaufman asked.

"The Fright Knight," Danny said blandly, folding his arms. "He got away before we could get him."

"Did he steal anything?" Kaufman asked.

"No," Valerie answered. "I was here when he attacked, and he didn't get anything."

"Yeah, it's weird," Danny commented. "Those green flashes lit up the sky and he just left."

"Well, at least we got his horse," Amorpho said optimistically, holding up his Thermos.

"Wait," Kaufman said, perking up, "if we have his horse, maybe we can find him." Before Danny could ask how, he continued. "If there are traces of his ectoplasm on his horse, and there probably are, we can use a Ghost Tracker to find him."

"Sounds good to me," Danny said. "Give him the thermos."

"Sure thing, Peter."

"It's Billy…I mean Danny! Danny!" he yelled in aggravation.

As the transaction took place, Marmel's communicator went off. He quickly answered it. "Marmel here." He listened for a moment before addressing his boss. "There's been a break in at a museum in town. Three ghost vultures made off with a huge gem."

Kaufman turned back to Danny…and was surprised to see him worried.

"Vultures?" he asked, with a hint of fear in his voice.

* * *

"This museum seems to only give us trouble," Sam noted. Danny just nodded. Previously, this place had started the whole mess with Hotep-Ra. Now, the place looked like it had seen better days, with several broken cases and claw marks. It wasn't exactly destroyed, but it needed a serious clean-up job.

"The gem was here," the curator said, pointing to a smashed and empty case.

Danny clenched his fists. "Vlad," he spat, as if it were a dirty word.

That got the agents' attention. "Plasmius?" Kaufman asked.

"Those three vultures worked for him," the halfa explained. "And he had some sort of pact with the Fright Knight. That raid at Axion was just a distraction." He turned to the curator. "Do you have a picture of that gem?"

He was answered with a picture of a brilliant red gem. Danny immediately snatched it. "While we're waiting to find the Knight, I think I know where to find some information on this thing."

* * *

A/N: Seriously, wouldn't you have been ticked if you were Dorothy?


	14. Preperation

A/N: I apologize for the delay with this chapter. A whole lot of my energy and time had been taken away due to finals. But, here it is.

Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom. It belongs to Butch Hartman, Billionfold, Viacom, and Nickelodeon.

* * *

Danny had made mistakes in the past. He was the first to admit this. One of those mistakes was the anti-Christmas rant that had ended in disaster a year and a half ago thanks to him arousing the ire of the Ghost Writer.

However, he always worked hard to amend his mistakes. Which is why, just before the annual truce ended, Danny went to Walker's prison and insisted the Writer be released. Though the concept of forgiveness was foreign to the now ex-warden, he honored his request in the spirit of the season. Following that, Danny apologized. The Writer forgave, and that was that.

However, during the apologies the Writer mentioned that his library held nearly an infinite amount of knowledge about the Ghost Zone, which leads us to our present scene.

The bespectacled ghost heaved a large stack of books onto the oak table of his library. "Alright, that's all the books I have on the Ghost Zone's ancient artifacts," he said, pushing some of his disheveled hair out of his face. "Perhaps there's something about this mystery gem of yours in them."

"Uh…usually this ghost stuff is an excuse to get out of studying," Sam groaned. She, Danny, Valerie, Danielle, and Youngblood were all seated at the table, ready, though unwilling, to research. "Danny, can't you ask Clockwork about this instead?"

"Already tried. The Observants have his hands tied in the matter. They don't want him assisting me more than he has to," the halfa sighed, reaching for a book.

"This bites," Youngblood whined. "How did I get stuck with this job?"

"Quit complaining, there's no reason why you can't help us with this," Danielle snapped.

"Yes there is, I have dys…dys…"

"Dyslexia," Parrot offered.

"Yeah, that's it. I can't read."

"Actually, all these books contain pictures of all the artifacts they list," the Writer said, "So you'll still be able to help them," he finished, handing him a book.

"Aw man," the ghost pirate groaned.

"Quit complaining," Danni said. "If we work, you should have to work."

"Why?"

"Because if you don't, you'll just be lazy."

"I've never met anyone who couldn't live with that," he said.

"Just work," the girl snapped, glaring at her friend.

"Why don't you make me?" Youngblood snapped, glaring back.

"Will you two please not argue…" Danny began.

"Yoink!"

"Hey!" Danni cried, placing her hands on her head where her red cap had been moments earlier. "Give it back!"

"Come get it!" Youngblood taunted, flying out of the room at top speed. The youngest halfa quickly transformed and gave chase.

"Hey, be careful!" the Writer cried. "There are a lot of fragile things around here!" he screamed as he gave chase.

"Ah, those kids," Valerie shook her head. "They really like each other."

"What are you talking about?" Danny asked. "Half the time they're trying to kill each other."

"Trust me, Danny, at their age there's not much of a difference."

Suddenly, a loud thump sounded from the other room.

"Hey, Youngblood, don't get too rough with Danni," Danny shouted into the room. "I don't want her getting hurt."

* * *

"Oof!" the buccaneer grunted as his friend tackled him to the ground.

"Give me my hat!" the girl demanded.

"No way! Parrot, help me!"

"No thanks," the bony bird said as he rested on the top shelf of a bookcase.

Youngblood was rewarded for his valiant efforts with a punch to the gut, then to the face, effectively stunning him and giving him a black eye. With that, the girl grabbed her hat, placed in on her head, and marched out of the room just as the library's owner rushed in.

The pirate, meanwhile, was still stunned, with pain still apparent in his body.

A girl beat me up…

_A girl beat me up…_

_A stupid girl beat me up…_

…

_I…I…I think I'm in love._

* * *

"Vhy are ve still vorking for this guy?" one of the vultures asked

"Yeah! I'm two thousand and ten years old. I'm too old for this kind of thing!" the second one complained.

"Maybe because the guy with the fancy-pants sword would chop us up into Thanksgiving dinner if we even tried to leave," their leader reminded.

"Yeah, but this guy's last plan almost got us all killed a few months ago," the second argued back.

"Will you guys just put a sock in it!" a fourth ghost snapped. This one would be recognizable to Jack, Maddie, and Danny if they had good memories. It was the very same ghost that Vlad had deliver the false mother-son science symposium letter, then fly the plane used in his ill fated plan from more than a year and a half ago. "I don't like this either, but we don't have much of a choice, now do we?"

"Quit your bickering!" the Knight demanded as he entered the room. "You should be preparing for the inevitable battle against the ghost child's forces!"

"Hey, why are you still serving Plasmius anyway?" the mailman asked. "You're too powerful for him to control easy, why didn't you bail with Skulker?"

"I have a pact with Lord Plasmius," the Knight explained. "I never dishonor my arrangements after I've entered service."

"But you betrayed the Ghost King," the lesser ghost pointed out.

"I never agreed to service with him. He forced to be his knight. I don't believe a single of Lord Pariah's soldiers served him for any other reason than fear."

"Yeah, well, are you sure serving this guy is any better? His last plan almost destroyed everything! Are we sure we really want to give him all this power?"

"I'd rather be destroyed with honor than live one day with shame."

"Oy. We get some philosophical nutjob," the lead vulture muttered.

"Enough conversation," the Knight ordered. "Continue preparing for battle. Since they captured my steed, Lord Plasmius says they might be here before the morn. We must slay the child and all who are loyal to him in order to make room for the new order."

* * *

Three hours of research from five different people had produced no results. Well, four different people, anyway. The fifth, Youngblood, was sitting at the edge of the table, holding an icepack to the black eye that Danielle had given him, much to Danny's amusement.

"I found it," Sam said, catching everyone's attention. The rest of the group gathered around the plant girl's book to see an ancient drawing of the gem that had been stolen hours earlier.

"The Gem of Absolution," Sam read, "was forged soon after the Reality Gems were. This magical artifact will break down the power barriers in any object and allow its holder to access the full amount of power within anything and reach new levels of control with it."

"Power barriers?" Valerie asked.

"Hey don't look at me, I don't know what it means," Danny shrugged. At that point, the Writer entered, carrying a load of books.

"Hey, do you know what power barriers are?" Youngblood asked rather bluntly.

"Oh, well, they're something that resides in most ancient artifacts," the scholar explained, peering around his books. "The Observants were fearful of many sources of power back then. That being said, they used their own temporal powers to put up barriers that would block many attempts to access the full extent of whatever they were guarding. Only truly powerful ghosts like Pariah Dark could easily pass these barriers."

"So…Vlad has a gem that will allow him to access the full power of an ancient artifact?" Valerie questioned. "What artifact could he have?"

After a moment's contemplation, Danny's eyes widened in horror.

"The Crown of Fire."

* * *

Vlad watched as the brilliant red gem he had stolen glowed. Within three feet was the Crown of Fire, its flames eternally flickering, taunting the eldest halfa with the power hidden inside. For so long the power within the crown had been just out of reach.

But that would all change soon enough.

It would take hours, the Knight had said, but that didn't matter to him.

Soon he'd have what he needed to fulfill his destiny.

* * *

It had been a restless sleep for Danny. After the unpleasant revelation at the Ghost Writer's library the world-renowned hero had been more anxious than ever to get to Plasmius and stop his plan. Waiting for the call from the DGA that they had located the Knight had been agonizing, and he wanted to be ready to mobilize as soon as the call came through. Which is why every member of Team Phantom was sleeping at FentonWorks that night.

Danny had been laying in bed when his cell phone went off. Youngblood and Amorpho, who were sleeping on cots elsewhere in his room, were awoken too. The boy snatched the phone and opened it.

"We got him," Kaufman's voice came from the other end. "The Knight is in Wisconsin, in Vlad's old castle."

After a split-second of contemplation, Danny's eyes went wide. The Dairy King…

"Everyone rise and shine!" Danny yelled throughout the house. "We're going to Wisconsin!"

* * *

It had been a quiet trip. Everyone was rather nervous about facing Plasmius, especially Danielle, who remembered what Vlad had almost done to her. Still, there was a united feeling of payback. Vlad had done cruel things personally to almost all of them, and there was a want to get back at him, regardless of how much some of them told themselves revenge wasn't the right way to do things.

Finally, after a few hours' flight in the very cramped Specter Speeder, they were outside Vlad's castle. As they stepped out into the grass of the large estate, they found that a DGA vehicle already parked in front. Standing in front of it were Agents Kaufman and Marmel, ectoguns ready.

"Ah, Mr. Fenton, we've been waiting for you," Kaufman greeted.

"Wait, they only set two guys to help us? I would have thought Hartman would have wanted a whole army of Agents to take down Plasmius."

"Oh, others are coming," Marmel explained. "But they're still getting mobilized. They decided to send an infiltration team in first. They figure the sooner we can stop this thing, the better."

"I'd have to agree," Maddie said, readying an ectobazooka on her shoulder. "Let's get this over with."

As they walked up the lawn, every member of Team Phantom was thinking different thoughts.

Danny was on edge. He knew Plasmius' nature. If it truly was the oldest halfa that was behind these events, then this would be quite a fight. Vlad was merciless when angry and desiring revenge, which he would almost certainly be now. Add to that the power of the Crown of Fire and thing's weren't looking good. He stole glances at Danielle, Valerie, and his father. They would definitely seek their own personal vendettas against the hated foe. Simultaneously, Vlad would want to put them down as well. No matter how much he tried to assure himself, worry swelled in Danny's heart. Could he protect them?

Sam wasn't sure how to feel. She had very rarely been face-to-face with Vlad, all the hatred she had for him stemmed from the fact that he had done horrible things to the boy she loved. To her, this was an ordinary mission, just with the danger rating higher. She thought of her parents. They had been horrified when they learned that their little girl was going to face the infamous ghost that had held the world hostage. She could tell they hadn't slept the night before when they arrived at FentonWorks just before they left. She knew they were in the Fentons' living room with Ember, anxiously waiting for their daughter's return.

Jack was angry and ready to tear Vlad apart. His ex-best friend, out of a personal grudge, had ignored so many years of loyal friendship. While it would be a lie to say that the Fenton father didn't still feel guilt for what the former billionaire had become, he acknowledged that, in the end, only Vlad could be held accountable for his actions. As he readied his gun, he vowed to make him wish he had stayed in space.

Maddie was angry as well, but for different reasons. Vlad had done horrible things to her child, the boy she had loved, nursed and raised. Like a mother hawk, she still ferociously protected her young, even though he had far outgrown the need for it. All she knew was that Plasmius had done horrible things to Danny, and he would be punished accordingly.

Jazz was beginning to question the wisdom in her coming along. Out of the entire team, she acknowledged that she was probably the least skilled. She had only faced Vlad once, and it had been the Ectoskeleton that had done most of the work. But she couldn't let fear stop her. She was a big sister, and she had a duty to look out for her little brother, no matter how hard it was, and that's exactly what she was going to do.

Danielle was pulled in two directions by her fear and anger. Vlad had been so horrible toward her, and betrayed her so badly, that she wanted nothing more than to punch his teeth out. At the same time, she was afraid. She had seen her former father's ruthlessness first hand, and knew full well what the hybrid wanted to do to her. But she stayed, wanting to fight, but anger was only part of what was fueling her desire. Danny had trained her like she had asked the past few months, and he had repeatedly told her how proud he was of her. Still, she couldn't help but still feel guilt. Her older brother still needed to repeatedly come to her rescue. Not this time. She would prove to her brother, and herself, that she could be the hero he always said she could be.

Youngblood had only been face-to-face with Plasmius once. After Masters' Blasters had caught him, the evil mastermind had let him loose. After looking at him, he threatened that if he left the Ghost Zone before his plan was through, he's be destroyed. The pirate ghost was sent back to his home, scared and humiliated. He still had some fear of Vlad in him, but something persuaded him to come along. That something was Danielle. While he'd never admit it, the young clone was his best friend. And, though he tried to deny it, he actually cared that Vlad had done so much to her. For some reason, he wanted to get back at the halfa for them.

Valerie was angry. Her temper was always a problem, and it was surfacing again. No matter how much she thought back to the warning Danny had given her at the Washington party months ago, she couldn't deny it: she wanted revenge. While she was trying to get into a professional mindset, her personal grudge was seeping through. That scared her more than any ghost could ever hope to. What if Danny was right? What if her vengeance was turning her into something like Vlad? She temporarily pushed those thoughts out of her head. She'd have to deal with them later. Right now, she had work to do.

Amorpho had no real opinion. His sole source of anger was the fact that Vlad had nearly destroyed them all in his mad quest for power. In actuality, he was thinking less of the upcoming battle and more of the fame that would come of being involved in the battle.

Kaufman and Marmel also had no real strong feelings. This was a routine mission, albeit a more dangerous one with higher stakes.

They were halfway up the lawn when it happened. The Knight phased through the front door.

"Halt, knaves! You are not welcome in Lord Plasmius' domain!"

"Yeah, well we don't give a damn!" Valerie said bluntly. "Move it before we vaporize you!"

Instead of honoring that request, the Knight spoke. "All of you, forward!"

With that, several creatures phased through he walls of the castle. They were the same abominable creatures that the original four Fentons recognized from Vlad's ill-fated plan to win Maddie in the Rockies long ago. "These creatures are quite the abominations, but useful in large numbers. And you cannot make them turn on us; my lord has breeded them with less sentience this time. Prepare to suffer our wrath!"

By the time the Knight's short monologue was finished, the lawn was filled with hundreds of hybrid experiments, all hungry for flesh and ectoplasm. It was Kaufman who gave the first order, directed at Danny. "We can take these guys; you find Plasmius."

"Got it," the teen hero answered, plowing through the enemies with Valerie, Danielle, and Jack right behind him.

"Fools!" the Knight yelled as he situated himself between the castle and the charging group. "I'll slice your heads off your shoulders before I allow you entry!"

The ancient warrior was answered with two powerful blasts, courtesy of Youngblood and Kaufman, which knocked him into the ground. Taking advantage of the temporary opening, the four ghost hunters ran inside.

"Quick, to the basement!" Danny yelled as he and Danielle grabbed their human teammates and phased them through the floor, "that's where Plasmius' lab is."

* * *

Vlad, in his ghost form, watched in anticipation as the Gem did its work. His eyes were only torn from the sight by a sensor on another computer telling him he had an intruder. He turned to see…

"Don't move, Vlad," Danny commanded as he and the others had blasts pointed at him.

"Ah, what luck. The four of you are at the top of a very long list of people that I need to eliminate. Jack Fenton, you ruined my life. Danielle, Valerie, I can't very well allow your betrayals to go unpunished. And Daniel, you committed the worst act of all, stealing my destiny!"

Danny cocked an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about," he snarled as he powered up an ectoblast in both palms. "It's time we ended this, once and for all!"

With that, he let loose two powerful ectoblasts at his four greatest enemies.


	15. Flashback

A/N: Okay, this chapter ended up longer than I expected, so I decided to save most of the fight for the next chapter. Until then, enjoy this!

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom copyright Butch Hartman, Billionfold, Viacom, and Nickelodeon.

* * *

The hybrid creature once known as Vlad Masters was a very bitter individual and for a very legitimate reason. Twice in his lifetime he had twenty years of hard work snatched away from him.

Vlad had no memories of his parents. His earliest memories were of the orphanage he grew up in. He never quite got the story of what happened to his mother and father. When he asked, he was merely told that he was found on the front steps of his then home, so he decided not to pursue who his parents were further. If they dumped him on the state, they weren't worth investigation.

Growing up, he was physically weak. He was the whipping boy, both at school and at the orphanage, being put through a good deal of abuse. It's no wonder that, even from that early age, he dreamed of a better life.

He constantly heard on television and through magazines about billionaire businessmen who lived lives of luxury, and he knew that was what he wanted to be. He would work hard and get everything that had been denied to him in childhood.

So he started working, a paperboy route at first, when he was seven, and a number of chores and jobs around the orphanage. While the other boys were playing games and enjoying themselves, he was working hard, saving every penny he made. In between work he read up on business, giving him a head start on his future career.

In school, he was a natural prodigy. He had straight As, and a perfect GPA. He was always in several honors classes, and a favorite of the teachers. However, he refused to involve himself in any extra-curricular activities. They were a mere waste of time when he could be preparing himself for his future. In fact, he was the most anti-social person in his school.

This changed when he entered high school. It was there that he met Jack Fenton, the man who he would eventually come to loathe with every fiber of his being. However, at that time they were friends. After being paired with him on a science assignment, he was brought out of his shell by Jack's happy-go-lucky nature and had finally realized what he had been missing his whole life.

Jack's family intrigued him. They believed in ghosts, and had hunted them since pre-colonial times. While they were considered crazy by most, the Fentons firmly believed in it, especially Jack, who wanted to carry on the family work. Vlad thought it was crazy, but never let it come between their friendship. Only what infamously became known as "the Backwash Incident" ever threatened to destroy their ties.

Finally, graduation came. With his saved money, several scholarships, and a few generous loans from the Fenton family, he was able to attend the University of Wisconsin. It was there that, he felt, fate happened.

He and Jack met Maddie. She was strong, smart, capable, and had just earned her first-degree black belt. Both men were instantly smitten and wanted her for their own. Jack seemed not to be aware of the completion, but Vlad was. He knew, deep in his heart, that it might destroy their friendship the day she chose one of them, but he tried not to think about it too much.

Much to his dismay, Maddie was sucked right into Jack's ghost hunting lifestyle, and the two of them began working on their first ghost portal. While Vlad disapproved of it, he supported it so as not to upset his crush. He also attended all work sessions in order to make sure Jack wasn't alone with his beloved too much.

That was why he was present when their prototype was complete. Vlad, despite himself, was curious, and because of that made what he considered the biggest mistake of his life. He leaned in front of the portal. At that moment Jack, in his over-eager nature, turned the portal on without double-checking the calculations.

What Vlad remembered was a bright, painful blast to the face, followed by looking at his friends' horrified faces before running out of the lab and collapsing.

He woke up in the hospital, in a quarantine room. He had been diagnosed with a completely new disease, dubbed "ecto-acne" by Jack and Maddie. The image he viewed in the mirror was forever burned into his mind. While he never exactly considered himself a handsome man, he was nonetheless horrified at the twisted mess his face had become.

The bad news just continued. He'd have to miss his finals, his scholarships were cancelled, and his college career was ruined. In a few short hours a lifetime's worth of work was all gone, and there was no telling how long he would be stuck in quarantine.

Vlad's visitors had to wear hazard suits just to see him. Jack visited later that day, and the man responded by tearing into him. After a large string of insults, he had the doctors escort him out, and he made it clear he never wanted to see him again.

Maddie was his only other visitor. The young woman soothed his pain, but begged him to forgive Jack, who wanted to salvage their friendship. However, in all his rage he couldn't find it in him to show forgiveness.

For the first year, Vlad was stuck in a hazard room, growing more and more bitter. It was Jack's fault, all of it! His bumbling idiocy had cost him everything! If he hadn't been so moronic, he wouldn't be here! Or maybe he did it on purpose, to clear his way to Maddie! As he continued to think about it, as he continued to be exiled in the small quarantine tent, he found this easier to believe.

During this time, the doctors tried to treat him, but to no avail. The mysterious substance that had infected him baffled even the greatest scientific minds. While Jack and Maddie insisted it was ectoplasm, this was passed off as crazy ramblings. Tried as they might, the doctor's didn't know where to even begin.

At his first anniversary of quarantine, all his rage accumulated, and something happened. He felt a strange, icy tingling sensation. A few seconds later, he was floating. In panic, he looked in the mirror.

He found the ecto-acne was gone…but that didn't soothe him. His skin had turned blue, his hair back to its original black. He also had an eerie aura around him.

It took ten minutes before his brain processed it. The Fentons had been right all along. Ghosts were real, and now he was one himself.

Vlad must have sat there for another three hours taking this in. He began to wonder if he would go insane. Finally, he broke down in despair, sobbing at the fact that his life had been cut short. Then, he felt the same tingling, only now he felt warm.

He looked in the mirror and found, to his immense joy, he was still human. To his even greater joy, his ecto-acne had vanished, as if it had never offended his face.

Once again, the doctors were baffled. The ectoplasm was still there, but there was no trace of it on the man's exterior. Vlad was kept for another year in order to test this new development. It was in this time Vlad discovered his basic powers. He discovered invisibility, intangibility, and flight. He never breathed a word to the doctors about his half-dead status. The idea of being put under the microscope and dissected was not appealing.

Finally, after a year, the doctors couldn't deny that whatever Vlad had, it wasn't contagious, and he felt good enough to be released to the public. And so, Vlad's two-year quarantine ended.

Vlad was released to a halfway house and was given a mailroom job at a local business. In his free time, he flew to the most remote locations and practiced his powers. For a full year, he practiced, and discovered ectoplasmic blasts, shields, and overshadowing in the process. In that time, he began to realize something. The accident was a blessing. Jack's attempts to curse him had only gifted him with powers, ones he could use to claim his rightful lot in life.

His first move came from a series of bank robberies. They were cakewalks, as ghosts were still considered things of fantasy. Police were clueless as to how to investigate, and Vlad was always quick to launder the money and spend it.

Most of it went into savings and investment, preparing for his inevitable future. At first, guilt occasionally bothered Vlad for his actions, but his ever-twisting mind found justification. He had been robbed of everything, and this was merely justice and karma.

Robbing banks made Vlad millions, but he was no fool. No matter how flawlessly he did it, he would eventually be caught. So, he invested that money into a legitimate company. DALV Corp, which specialized in new technologies, was formed on Vlad's dirty money.

Soon afterwards, he broke into his old college and stole the prototype portal, which had been confiscated by University officials following the incident. When he turned it on in his apartment, he found it worked and, though it was a tight squeeze, he could now access the Ghost Zone.

During that first trip Skulker, who had seen him as worthy prey, attacked him. Vlad won the short tussle, and, much to the hunter's surprise, he offered him a better ectoskeleton in exchange for his services. He gave him the coordinates for the portal and told him to bring anyone who would be good with machines.

A week later Skulker emerged from the portal, along with Nicolai Technus. With the two of them Vlad's company flourished, with advancements in technology given a boost thanks to Technus's genius.

After three years, the three of them had constructed a bigger, more convenient portal. They went though the Zone and "recruited" the Vultures and several other ghosts. It was also in this time that he heard the legend of Pariah Dark and, despite vehement protests from every one of his ghostly minions, began to search for the artifacts, determined to have their powers for his own. Also of interest was the Infi-Map, which proved equally as hard to find.

Meanwhile, he used his small army to conquer the business world. His minions would commit sabotage, inside trading, overshadow businessmen into turning their businesses over for practically nothing, and even murder in order to preserve himself as head of the business world. The best part was his clean image was so well known that no one ever even remotely suspected him, no matter how suspicious his success became.

By the ten-year anniversary of the accident, Vlad had the most powerful company in the world. Satisfied, Vlad left most of his business affairs in the hands of some trusted individuals and began to concentrate on some more sinister matters.

These included making ectoweapons and twisted experiments. Genetic and mechanical armies were made in this time as Vlad began to build a criminal network in the Ghost Zone. The results, including a satellite he launched to scour the heavens, were so incredible that Skulker and Technus began to insist that he not stop at being a businessman. With everything he was accomplishing, he could rule both the Earth and the Ghost Zone.

While this offer was appealing, there was still a small bit of conscience fighting Vlad's actions. Perhaps he was going too far. Maybe he should stop these practices before it was too late.

Then the day came when the _Milwaukee Journal_ asked for an interview with him. He was surprised to find one of his college classmates, Harriet Chin, was the reporter. After the interview, the two had a few rounds of drinks when the reporter let it slip. Jack and Maddie had married, and already had two kids.

That was it. That piece of information completely eliminated what inhibition Vlad had. Jack had stolen his future and the woman he loved from him. Life had taken him, chewed him up, and spit him out. Only now did he realize the truth. He deserved the world, and if he had to take it by force, then so be it. He'd rule the world and the Ghost Zone.

But he'd have to be careful. The Zone would be tough to conquer, and despite still being considered fantasy on Earth there were still a few ghost hunters that had weapons. If he launched an attack, he'd eventually be stopped. Besides, his army still wasn't big enough.

So he bid his time, perfecting both genetics and machine. Time marched on, and finally, the twenty-year mark of the accident came. It was on that day that one of his scouts reported a new ghost portal.

The Fentons had done it.

And so he sent two of his earliest creations, the Ectopusses, to combat Jack. They came back defeated, presumably by his former friend. However, a few days later the Lunch Lady told of a half human, half ghost hybrid that had defeated her in Amity Park.

This proved to be a problem. If there was another hybrid, it could possibly be a threat. So, he sent Skulker to eliminate the threat. He came crawling back without his suit, telling of a teenager named Danny Phantom with his employer's powers. Unfortunately, he was unaware of the Fentons' appearance, so he was unable to give a human name. A few weeks later, he heard that the princess of Aragon had been defeated, in dragon form, by the same child.

Vlad sent Technus next, who returned defeated without even seeing Jack. Then he got reports of Phantom fighting in the Fifties Zone, then from a newly appearing ghost, Desiree, who claimed that she fought him after escaping a thousand-year imprisonment in a bottle.

Around that time, Vlad's old University called and asked to host their reunion party at his newly purchased castle. Wanting to keep up appearances, he agreed. When the Vultures also failed to defeat Jack, having run into Phantom, he decided to take advantage of the situation.

The plan was simple. He would overshadow Jack, have him go on a rampage, and Maddie would see him as a monster and leave him, hopefully to come running into Vlad's arms. But the plan was complicated by the unexpected appearance of Danny Phantom, and even further complicated by the reveal of his identity.

He was Danny Fenton, Jack and Maddie's second born, undoubtedly changed by a similar accident that had granted him his powers.

While he found it amusing at first, it made the billionaire angry the more he thought about it. Not only had Jack had children with the one he loved, but had given birth to the perfect son for him, the unique blend of ghost and human that only the two of them had. And to make matters worse, the young one had foolishly chosen a life of service to others when he could rule. No, he wouldn't allow that.

So the night of the party he lured the young boy into his lab, trapped him, revealed himself, and gave him his offer: renounce Jack and become his son. As expected, Danny dismissed his offer as crazy, but this didn't faze him. He simply continued his plan.

But his plan hit another snag. The Dairy King, who had been allowed to stay after Vlad bought the castle, betrayed him and freed Danny, who managed to extort Vlad into backing down. It was simply too early for Maddie to find out about his other half. So he backed down, but was pleased with Danny's tactics. He would make an excellent heir.

Or so he hoped. However, he wondered if he would ever be able to turn him. If he got too powerful, he would have to be destroyed. It would be regrettable, but it was better than wasting resources on a worthy enemy. But if that happened, he'd have no one to carry on his work. What then?

His work answered that. The genetics had been perfected enough to attempt a cloning procedure. The problem was getting DNA. He had perfected armor that would collect samples, but he still needed a soldier to wear it. Sadly, at the time he hadn't any minions that could beat Danny, and he would surely go full force against any ghost. He couldn't be seen so much without making himself known. It would have to be a human to do the deed, but an adult would be too hard to control. A child was needed.

So he searched Amity Park until he found the ideal candidate. A young woman who was high on the social ladder, had combat experience and, according to some friends, a tendency to hold grudges and a temper. Valerie Grey was perfect. All she needed was the perfect tragedy.

By luck, he had come across the ghost of a dog that had previously guarded Axion Labs, where Mr. Grey worked. So, while Skulker restrained the beast, the vultures took his toy and hid it in a forgotten room of the lab. The idea was the dog would run through the security, discrediting Damon and sending Valerie into the lower levels of society.

In the end, it worked better than he had hoped. Not only had the dog ruined her life, but Phantom had unfortunately been present, allowing her to blame the whole thing on him. She was so angry that she didn't even question who Vlad was, what his motives were, or even how he got measurement perfect gear to her in two days' time. So, Vlad got his samples and an excellent pawn.

In the meantime, while sending more mindless ghosts to Amity Park, he made a new plan. By way of a false symposium, he lured Danny and Maddie to his mountain cabin. There, he confessed his love to Maddie, and made the offer to her he had always wanted to make: to stay with him, as his wife.

It had the exact opposite effect than intended. Maddie stormed out in disgust, and Danny mocked him in the process. In a fit of rage he sent his newest experiments out after him, even shorting out his powers to ensure that they'd be force to come back to him.

He lost. For the first time since his accident, he truly lost. He realized his mistake. He became too overconfident too quickly, allowing Danny to outwit him. But that still didn't make it any less humiliating. Not only did he lose, but he was chased by his own creations for three hours before retrieving his powers.

He probably would have gone right after his enemy in revenge if it hadn't been for some good news from his spies. The Skeleton Key, the access to Pariah's Keep, had been found. Despite final warnings from his men, Vlad went anyway. Of course, there was that whole problem with the portal. Fortunately, by that time ghosts were public knowledge, allowing him to use those factors to his advantage.

He lost again, to Jack Fenton, no less. He was so angry…then the Key floated right into his lap. It was like the world was telling him he was going to win. Even in defeat, he got what he wanted.

Once again, things went awry, but he came out on top. He got the Crown, which was the true source of power. The Ring was only a key and a brace, allowing someone to use the Crown and not allow its endless power to tear them apart. He received the Fright Knight as a follower, and the Fenton's new ecto-skeleton to boot. Regrettably, Valerie's father had found out about her ghost hunting and banned her from it, but it was nothing truly terrible. Valerie had served her purpose, and he had all the samples he needed, except one that her armor couldn't get.

Of course, there were now problems. Without the Ring, there was no way to use the powers of the Crown without destroying himself. As a result, the Knight began searching his ancient connections for the answer, making him unavailable. Adding to those problems was the loss of the ecto-skeleton due to Jazz's interference, destroying a good deal of his castle that took months to rebuild.

On the higher side, the clones of Danny were coming along splendidly, looking more human all the time. Finally, one with sentience was born, but not perfect. Danielle, a small, unstable girl, was it. While considered a failure by him, she was easy to manipulate, making her a good pawn.

Then, something completely unexpected happened. His ecto-acne resurfaced after two decades of being dormant. His powers had merely suppressed the problem, and now it was not only marking him, it was killing him.

That left Vlad with a new question: now what? By now ectoplasm was a known substance. If he went for treatment, he'd be exposed and arrested. His genetics research was more geared to full ghosts rather than his unique hybrid physiology. He needed doctors that wouldn't question him.

The Fentons answered that, but the problem remained of Daniel. While he was still mostly clinging to his foolish morals, he might take advantage of the situation and slow down his parents enough to allow him to die. Infecting his little friends with the same disease, ensuring nothing but compliance with the research, solved that. Inevitably, a cure was found.

With that out of the way, all that remained was getting the final piece of DNA he needed to make a perfect clone. To do this, he needed Danny captured alive. It was time for Danielle to play her part.

The plan went smoothly. Danni fooled her original, and he fell right into his hands. When he looked in that chamber and saw his nearly completed creation, he felt love. He would finally have a son!

It was a disaster. He lost his temper and Danielle saw the true him. Soon after, Danny's ghostly wail destroyed his lab, and he was forced to watch his latest clone, his son, melt before his eyes.

That was it. He had given Danny plenty of chances to join him, but this was too much. He probably would have torn him apart right then if his little friends hadn't busted in.

After recovering, he began to think. A quick death was too good for young Daniel. No, he would tear him apart in every aspect before ending his life. And when the foolish boy started a prank war, he knew how.

He became mayor of Amity Park, and Danny's punishment began. Remembering what hell school had been, he turned all his peers against him, while turning the public against his alter ego.

But once again, he underestimated Daniel's ingenuity. He made him look so bad he was forced to undo everything in order to salvage his reputation.

Soon after, Danny discovered the Infi-Map. Vlad, naturally, made a move to retrieve it, but his enemy foiled him after a long chase. The Vortex incident a few weeks later went over bad, but he managed to salvage it by blaming everything on Phantom. It was then when he began forming his next plan.

He found three teenagers too arrogant to ever realize they were being used, then trained them…or rather, gave them the illusion of being trained. Only Danielle's temporary resurfacing distracted him from this. Soon, Masters's Blasters were ready; the opportunity just needed to present itself.

And it did after another failed attempt at the Infi-Map. Once he was back to Earth, he noticed the Disasteroid heading for Earth. After realizing how this could be used to his advantage, he sent Masters's Blasters out, telling them and the public they were catching ghosts that, in reality, were all working either for or with him.

In the end, it worked better than he had hoped. Danny not only went into hiding, but gave up his powers. The public lapped it up, and the three teens were so smug they never dreamed the truth.

Finally, the Disasteroid was in range of scanners. By funding all attempts, he was able to sabotage them all and blame it on Jack. Finally, when there was no other choice, he revealed himself to the world and made his demands. With no other choice, they handed him the world. As an added bonus, Jack was forced to watch as he took everything from him with one simple action.

But, as the saying goes, the devil's in the details, and the detail that mattered was ectoranium. Once the computer read the analysis, terrible reality washed over Vlad. He had destroyed everything. All his hard work meant nothing. And to drive it home, Jack spoke six words in a tone that he would have never imagined he could use.

"_An old friend? No. You? Yes!"_

And with that, the last hope for him had been cut. He watched from space as the Earth was saved, his heart aching that he could never go home. A few days later, he was hit by the very Disasteroid that should have given him everything.

The Fright Knight rescued him, unceremoniously. He brought him back to a hidden base deep in the Rockies to be nursed back to health. He learned that, due to his actions, Skulker and Technus had left, leaving only the weak and mindless to him. The Knight had found the way to unleash the power, but he didn't care. It seemed that the hybrid finally got the large dose of reality and humility he needed to snap him into sanity. He was about to release all the other ghosts and prepare for a life of solitude.

Then he turned on the television, and what he saw made his ectoplasm boil.

Danny had been exposed to the world, that he knew. What he didn't know was how much he was being praised. Statues were erected in his honor, and people were practically hailing him as a deity.

In just two years, Danny had accomplished what he had failed to do in eleven times that amount. He was living the good life, praised by most, and he even had the girl he wanted to share it with.

One might think this would have made Vlad realize that he had gone about everything wrong, but it just snapped him back into insanity. His mind warped again to accept a new reality, that Danny and all the others had accomplished that success just to mock him. Suddenly, he was fully interested in continuing his work.

The Knight told him about the newly discovered Gem of Absolution, which would act as both access to and a brace for the power, but there were still two problems. The first was the matter of finding the item. Without Technus's genius or Skulker's tracking skills, the Gem proved elusive, taking months to find. The other was the fact that activating the Gem for use would take power. So much power that the authorities would surely notice the surge and arrest him.

That problem was answered for him. His will, which had been written up after meeting Daniel, stated everything would be left to him, or the clone he'd create to replace him. Once they took his castle and turned the power back on, he'd have his new hideout, right in plain sight. Indeed, all power was written off as being used for a side experiment the Fentons were conducting, neither Kaufman nor any other government agent questioned it.

With the Gem discovered, Vlad made the appropriate move. He knew Team Phantom had become bigger and more organized since his defeat. As such, he worried that not even the Knight could successfully escape with the Gem. So he instead sent his most powerful follower to raid Axion Labs while he quietly sent the vultures to get the Gem.

To his surprise, the Knight did escape. The original plan was to allow him to be captured. With the pact in place, he wouldn't talk. But he escaped at the cost of his steed, which Vlad knew could be used to track them. But such an analysis would take hours, which could be used to activate the Gem.

But it wasn't enough. Team Phantom arrived just minutes before the process finished. Still, perhaps it was for the best. The two he really wanted to destroy came right to him, along with two loose ends he needed to tie up. Maybe this was for the best.

One thing was for sure; he was going to enjoy this.

* * *

The four dodged the twin barrage, but it did them little good. Almost immediately Vlad flew in and punched Valerie in the face, cracking her visor, then kicked Danielle in the cheek, sending her flying. Another blast from his palm struck Jack in the chest, knocking him down. Immediately afterwards he punched Danny in the face, followed by an uppercut to the jaw. The middle halfa dodged the next strike, causing Plasmius's fist to be implanted in the wall.

"What did you mean, 'I stole your destiny'?" Danny asked, punching Vlad across the face.

"Don't play games with me, boy!" Vlad yelled as he blocked the next punch, then countered with one directly in the face. "You have power, glamour, fame, love! Everything I wanted, you got! You did it all just to spite me, didn't you?"

"I got it as a side effect of cleaning up after you!" Danny countered, punching his archenemy in the gut. "I was just satisfied you were gone!"

"You expect me to believe that?!" the villain roared, decking the younger halfa again, sending him flying. With him temporarily stunned, he noticed something. Jack, being smarter than many gave him credit for, noticed the Gem floating above the Crown and knew it would be a good idea to stop this.

"No!" Vlad yelled, flying in and punching Jack in the jaw, sending him down. "No, this won't be like the last time you took something from me!"

Vlad got a shot from Jack's ectogun as a response. The burly ghost hunter rose to his feet with a rare serious expression on his feet. "I didn't take anything that wasn't freely offered to me. Maybe you should take better care of your stuff!" he roared, firing his gun again. This time Vlad dodged then fired an ectoblast.

"You caused that accident on purpose, didn't you?" Plasmius accused as Jack dodged.

"What? No, I told you it was an accident," the Fenton father responded as he fired.

"Liar!" Vlad roared while dodging. "You made sure I got infected in order to clear your way with Maddie. Admit it!" With that he punched Jack in the face so hard the he flew off his feet.

Before he could follow up on that attack the beams shot him in the back. He quickly turned around and saw Valerie floating toward him, her gun blocks floating overhead. "Wow Vlad, I think your little stay in space had made you even crazier."

The huntress was rewarded with a punch to the gut, then one hand around her neck. "You were a good pawn that served me well, but I certainly can't let you continue flying around where you can be an obstacle. So I'm going to…"

He never finished his threat, because an ectoblast hit him in the back. Giving a growl more in surprise than pain, he turned to see Danielle floating there, arm outstretched.

"Ah, the prodigal daughter," he commented, throwing Valerie to the floor.

"Shut up!" she screeched, firing a blast that was blocked by an ectoshield. "Jack Fenton is my father! You're just some fruit loop!"

Almost immediately afterward, Vlad was hit by another ectoblast, this one from Danny. It sent him flying into the machine that housed both the Crown and the Gem. "Wow, Plasmius, I guess that's something else my dad could get that you couldn't."

That hit a nerve. Vlad jumped to his feet, his anger causing him to shoot energy everywhere. His opponents, however, were not intimidated.

"We're going to make you wish you had stayed in space," Valerie promised as the group moved in.

"I only wish I had killed you all sooner!" the eldest halfa roared, then charged forward with renewed vigor.


	16. Fears

A/N: Okay, listen. A now have a seventy hour work week. As such, I don't have a lot of time to write anymore. Looks like updates will be slow until late august. Oh well. Here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom copyright Nickelodeon, Butch Hartman, Billionfold, and Viacom. I don't own it.

* * *

On the lawn of Vlad's castle, a humongous battle was raging. The remaining members of Team Phantom, along with two members of the Department of Ghostly Activities, were fighting a large melee with Plasmius's small army.

Jazz shot a strange, moose-like creature in between the eyes with the Fenton Peeler. As the beast was ripped into nothingness, the eldest Fenton child shot another, a bear with four arms, lowering the enemy count by one more.

However, at that point a set of powerful talons suddenly grabbed her from behind, one around each arm, squeezing her hard enough to cause dents in the armor. Before she could react, another powerful talon slashed her chest, moving up and ripping off her helmet. She was pulled to the ground, completely pinned.

As she looked up, she saw the three vultures were her assailants, having chosen what the figured would be the easiest target.

"Now, pretty girlie, we're gonna pick your bones clean," the lead bird threatened as they leaned in closer.

They never got a chance to do anything, as at that point the leader was hit by a ball of ectoplasm. Vultures two and three scarcely had time to contemplate this development before they too were struck, knocking all three of them off.

The source of the attacks was Youngblood, whose aim with his hook-slingshot was just as good as ever. "Get off of her, ya dumb birds," he yelled.

"That didn't sound very pirate," Parrot noted.

"Whatever," he said as he used his Fenton Thermos to suck up the stunned vultures.

Meanwhile, not ten feet away, Amorpho was battling more of the monstrous aberrations that Vlad's labs had spawned. A rabbit the size of a bear fell to a blast from his cane, then a badger-like creature with one eye was destroyed next.

Following that the shapeshifter was nearly hit by several ectoblasts. Backing away, he looked up at Vlad's castle to see the source of the attack. The mailman was sitting in a gun turret on one of the towers, blasting away at the unsuspecting changeling.

Amorpho responded by transforming into an eagle and taking to the skies, flying up to the turret while expertly dodging the blasts. Finally, he managed to fly just overhead of the turret, and once again transformed…into an African elephant.

To say the turret was destroyed would be like saying that the ocean is wet. The tower collapsed under the weight, and everything fell ten stories to the ground.

Once the dust settled, Amorpho retuned to his true form and floated over the mailman, who was rising from the ground, rubbing his aching head.

"That's it, I quit. Plasmius doesn't even offer a good vacation package," was all he managed to mutter before Amorpho trapped him in his own Thermos.

The commotion caused by the tower collapsing was hardly noticed by the other occupants of the battle. The fighting was so fierce that they hardly noticed anything except their opponents.

Sam was using her abilities to thin out the army of mutated animals, but that wasn't the most fearsome battle being waged. That honor went to Maddie, Kaufman, and Marmel, who were facing one of the most terrifying beings that the Ghost Zone had ever spawned: the Fright Knight.

"Fools! I'll teach you proper respect for power!" he declared, swinging the Soul Shredder into the three ghost hunters. All three managed to dodge, with Kaufman immediately turning around and firing his ectogun. Maddie did the same with her ectogun, but to no avail. The ancient warrior simply knocked them away with his sword like a baseball player with a bat.

This continued for a few moments, with all three hunters firing at the Knight, who continued using his sword with expert precision. Finally he leapt forward and swung the Soul Shredder, cutting through Maddie's weapon with ease.

Without missing a beat, the matriarch of the Fenton family pulled out her ectostaff and twirled it around with grace. The Knight, who had just finished disarming both Kaufman and Marmel, only laughed.

He ended up regretting it, as Maddie leapt up with surprising speed and slammed her weapon into the armored villain's side. Caught off guard, the warrior flew back, only to get a strike from the staff's other end. Once again, the Knight stumbled, but he was ready for the third strike, which he caught in one of his hands.

"Disrespectful wretch! Thou shalt suffer for thy impudence!" he roared, lifting his sword. With a single swipe, he cut through Maddie.

Suddenly the woman felt very cold and lightheaded. In a flash of green light, she disappeared.

* * *

Maddie opened her eyes and looked around. She was back at her house, but…where was the rest of the team? Where were Ember, Pamela, and Jeremy, who were waiting here for them?

Then she remembered. Danny warned that a cut from the Soul Shredder would cause the victim to enter a dimension where their worst fear would come true. So why was she home? She always found this place comforting.

Before she could contemplate the situation any farther, she was startled by a figure floating out from the floor. It took her only half a second to recognize it.

"Danny!" she cried, throwing her arms around her son's ghostly form. However, she instantly became alarmed when the boy pushed her off.

"Don't touch me," he said in an angry growl.

Alarmed, Maddie took a step back. "Danny? Wh-what's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" the halfa snarled angrily. "You have the nerve to ask me hat? You're what's wrong!" That statement caused Maddie to gasp, and Danny went on.

"You always said you loved me, that I was the most important thing in your life, but that was a lie, wasn't it? Jazz and I were second place to ghost hunting in your eyes, weren't we? That has to be true. That's the only explanation for not being able to figure out what was going on.

"You were so happy when that portal got activated. You spent hours doing research, performing experiments, making weapons, and that whole time your progress was almost nonexistent. That's because you were so stubborn that couldn't even fathom that your theories could have been wrong. No, all ghosts were evil, and there's no way humans could have ghost powers. Well, guess what, you were wrong, and guess who had to pay the price?"

As an answer to his own question, Danny reached up to a shoulder on his jumpsuit. He then pulled it down, ripping his suit and revealing something horrifying to the Fenton mother.

Her son's entire body was damaged. Several cuts, burns, and bleeds covered his chest, remnants of battles long past. Maddie's gloved hands covered her mouth; tears began leaking out of her eyes from seeing that her baby boy had gone through so much.

"Every time you shot me…attacked me…did you really think I had forgotten? And let's not forget that if it wasn't for your experiments, I would just be a normal human, instead of this hybrid freak, and Vlad would be a great man, instead of the monster he became. All these ghost problems come down to you, and your reckless hunting."

Maddie was stunned, her tears increasing. She wanted to argue, but…there seemed to be no flaw in his logic.

"Danny…"

"I hate you!"

With those three words, Maddie felt her heart shatter. Suddenly her legs felt like jelly, and she fell to her knees, her head spinning as well. Danny continued. "You're a monster. You tried to destroy an entire race of creatures for no logical reason, and it always hurt the ones around you, but you were too blind to see it."

"Please…" she begged, reaching out, but Danny pulled away.

"Stay away from me. I never want to see you again." With that, Danny Phantom disappeared, leaving a sobbing wreak of a woman behind.

* * *

Upon seeing Maddie vanish, Kaufman and Marmel became alarmed. They began firing in a desperate attempt to strike the Knight while distracted, but to no avail. The warrior blocked their attacks as simply as ever. "You humans truly are wretched creatures, actually believing that you can stand a chance against me. My blade will cut you down without flaw!"

"You know, you talk too much," Kaufman said, firing his ectogun. The Knight swung to block, but made a big error in judgment. He had assumed that the head of the DGA would aim for his upper body. Instead, the shot struck his leg. It barely hurt, but it served it purpose as a distraction. The next shot, courtesy of Marmel, struck the armored hand hat held the Soul Shredder, causing it to fall from the iron grip and land blade first in the dirt.

The Knight now unarmed, Kaufman and Marmel shot with full power, knocking their opponent a good ten feet back before their ecto cartridges ran dry, emitting only a click when the gun was fired.

Seeing that the guns were out, the Knight made a dash for his sword. However, when he was just inches from it, a pair of vines shot out and wrapped around it, pulling it from the ground and into the battle's newest participant.

"Ah, Phantom's mistress," the Knight said, quite amused. Indeed, Sam had been allowed to join the battle against the spirit of Halloween since the mutant animal army had thinned enough for Jazz, Youngblood, and Amorpho to handle it. "Yet another of the many women that act like men that he surrounds himself with."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" the plant ghost said indignantly.

"Riding into battle is something the fairer sex shouldn't partake in. It is the place where men prove themselves."

"…Tell me, have you ever met Prince Aragon?"

"Why yes, in…quit deceiving me! Return my blade and prepare for your doom!"

Marmel spoke up. "Don't you mean, 'Return my blade or prepare for your doom?'"

"Sorry, but I am not that generous," the Knight replied coldly.

"Well, in that case…no." With that, Sam turned around and flew off at lightning fast speed, dragging the Soul Shredder behind her with her vines. The Knight tried to follow, but Kaufman and Marmel blocked his way with a barrage of shots from their ectoguns that knocked him to the ground.

Sam, meanwhile, sped along at her highest speed toward the van that the two agents had arrived in. Danny had, of course, filled the DGA in on all his enemies soon after they had overthrown Walker, which of course included the Knight. Therefore, they knew the Knight's weakness and had prepared accordingly.

The van was protected by a keypad code on the door, but Sam knew the combination, every member of Team Phantom was informed of this plan before the Knight was found. The door was soon open, and there, sitting among the many weapons hanging in the back of the van, was what Sam was looking for: a pumpkin, specifically preserved from October for this purpose. The DGA had been especially interested in arresting any of Vlad's previous followers and had prepared accordingly.

"Wench!" the Knight yelled, having temporarily incapacitated Kaufman and Marmel and was now heading, full speed, toward the raven-haired girl. "Relinquish my blade!"

"Sorry, no," Sam said simply before plunging the Soul Shredder into the pumpkin's orange shell.

In an instant the Knight let out an ear-piercing scream as he slowly began dissipating in a puff of green smoke. As the smoke rose, it soon flew toward the pumpkin with the embedded blade, circling it a few times before seeping into the orange shell. With a poof of purple smoke the pumpkin turned purple, and then…nothing.

Sam blinked. The last time this happened, the Knight disappeared and returned to Pariah's Keep…then it occurred to her. Since he had signed a pact with Vlad, the Spirit of Halloween was no longer bound to Pariah Dark. Therefore, he would return to where his new master lived, which was here.

Meanwhile, a few feet away, Maddie reappeared, but she was a far cry from the strong woman she had been when she had been attacked. She was on the ground, curled up in a ball, sobbing.

"Mrs. Fenton? Maddie?" Kaufman asked. "What's wrong?"

"It's the Knight's power, remember?" Sam reminded as she floated over to the woman she hoped would eventually become her mother-in-law and began to help her up. "Mrs. Fenton, whatever you saw was just an illusion."

Maddie, still shaken, rose to her feet, silent tears still fallen. "…Danny doesn't hate me?"

"No, but in case you forgot three-fifths of your immediate family, including him, are fighting Vlad. We have to hurry or they're all going to get hurt."

After being reminded that her husband and two of her children were facing a ghost who was, by many accounts, ruthless and possibly insane, she pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind. "You're right, let's get going."

"What about everything up here?" Marmel pointed out.

Kaufman looked around. "I'd say the battle up here's over."

Indeed, the lawn of the castle had emptied, the last of Vlad's terrible monstrosities being sucked up by Jazz, Youngblood and Amorpho. The place was quiet, albeit battle-scarred. "We need to move, Plasmius might prove unbeatable if he gets that Crown working."

* * *

Vlad had proven a tough opponent before. The first time Danny had encountered him, the young halfa had gotten too confident, resulting in him getting beaten truly badly for the first time in his ghost-hunting career. The second time the situation had been reversed, allowing the younger halfa to slip a Specter Deflector on him, severely lowering his power. Even then, however, he still proved to be a problem. During the million-dollar ghost incident Vlad had once again become cocky, allowing Jack to give him what might have been his first really good beating. The next fully blown fight he was in was when Danielle left him. There, only the surprise of the Ghostly Wail and the arrival of Sam and Tucker resulted in his defeat. The following meeting with Danielle had also given him a problem. Creating a duplicate of his ghost form while remaining human left the copy very weak, allowing Valerie, Danni, and Danny to knock the duplicate six ways to Sunday.

However, during the times when Danny had been expecting him, especially during Vlad's short time as mayor, the playing field was evenly matched. The original encounter with the Infi-Map and the brief skirmish in space that had started the Disasteroid incident, Danny had shown that his power had been growing to the point where he was a threat to the eldest halfa. Add to him three other individuals that had personal vendettas against him, and he had a problem.

Vlad hit the machine where the crown rested, one of Jack's blasts having sent him there. Almost immediately afterward three blasts from Valerie's gun blocks kept him pinned against the controls. After it stopped he slid to the ground as his four opponents walked up to him.

"It's over, Vlad," Danny said simply. "Just come quietly before you get really hurt."

Grunting, the senior halfa rose to his feet. "You should know me better than that, Daniel."

The world's savior shrugged. "Have it your way," he said readying an ectoblast.

However, at that point, a new voice entered the battlefield, one that brought joy to one of the warriors and absolute fear to the others. That voice was Maddie, only it was colder and more mechanical.

"The Crown is ready, dearest. Oh, love your cape!" a Maddie hologram exclaimed, chipper as ever.

Indeed, the Crown was now at full power, its eternal flames now flickering as high as when it rested on Pariah's head. Team Phantom was frozen in shock, while Vlad whipped around to view his prize.

"Yes, finally!" he said, snatching the artifact from its resting place.

"No!" was the collected cry of the heroes, who aimed their weapons at their hated enemy.

They were too late. The moment the Crown touched his head, a wave of energy radiated from him, knocking the four Team Phantom members off their feet and to the floor. Energy began flowing through Plasmius, his eyes glowing a hellish red as the power began circulating through him. On his palms, flames of ectoplasm began shooting up.

At that point, the remaining Team Phantom members entered the lab, and became frozen in shock as Vlad let out an evil laugh. He turned toward his opposition and, with the mere wave of his hand, unleashed a powerful wave of ectoplasm in their direction.

Every warrior present was knocked back and into the wall behind them, then causing them to fall to the floor.

Before any of them to gather the strength to move again, Vlad flew toward the fallen heroes. He then reached down and grabbed Maddie by her arm, pulling her up.

"Let go of me!" the woman demanded.

"I did that once, and I've regretted it since," Plasmius said coldly. "You're mine now, and nothing is going to change that this time."

With that, Vlad let mustered up all his energy, then he released a wave of energy so powerful that the entire castle began to shake.


	17. Destruction

A/N: Now that the summer job from Hell is over, I can write again! Here's the long overdue seventeenth chapter. By the way, if you can guess which joke I pulled from a Comedy Central show, cookie for you.

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom copyright Butch Hartman, Billionfold, Nickelodeon and Viacom.

* * *

Maddie stared in horror at the sight beneath her. Vlad's once strong-standing castle lay in ruins and, to her horror, she couldn't see Danny or any other member of the team come out of the rubble.

"The walls of my lab were phase-proof," Vlad stated as he held his captive in his grasp. "It's impossible that they escaped. You're better off forgetting about them."

At that point, the matriarch of the Fenton family remembered who had been the architect of the unfortunate event, turned to the villain with anger. "You… you monster!" she screamed. However, the eldest half-ghost was holding her by one of her wrists making an attack on him hard. Indeed, all he did in response was pull his unrequited love up to eye level, his glare temporarily stunning her.

"Now, Maddie, you're going to be spending the rest of your life with me. Let's not start it off on a bad note." Vlad still looked the same for the most part. The differences in appearance were several red veins across his face and a more ferocious glow in his eyes. With that, Plasmius turned and began his flight toward Amity Park, carrying the kicking and screaming woman in tow.

Had Vlad stayed a little longer, he would have seen something that certainly would have made him stop. The rubble that had formally formed his castle began to shake. Moments later, it was blown apart by the combined ectoplasmic blasts and powerful vines of Danny, Danielle, Sam, Youngblood, and Amorpho. They, with some combined effort, had stopped themselves and their human comrades from being crushed with a powerful ectoshield.

"Is everyone here? Is everyone okay?" Danny asked.

"Well, let's see," Amorpho said as he listed off his companions. "Little retard, clone, weed, big retard, Billy, Red, Jazz, no personality agents one and two," he said, pointing to Youngblood, Danielle, Sam, Jack, Danny, Valerie, Jazz, Kaufman, and Marmel respectively, "hey, where's Mrs. Obsessive-compulsive?"

"Oh crud!" Danny exclaimed. "Just before Vlad flew out and destroyed the place I saw him grab Mom."

"What?!" Jack cried, suddenly feeling panic. "Then what are we waiting for? We need to go save her!" he said, beginning to rush off, but Kaufman and Marmel stopped him.

"Hold on, we don't even know where he is now. We don't even have a sample of his ectoplasm to perform a scan."

"We don't need one," Danny said, earning the attention of his teammates. "He's going to take out the opposition. He's going to go to Amity Park and eliminate the DGA headquarters."

Suddenly realizing this very likely scenario, Kaufman was immediately on his cell phone. "Plasmius is likely on his way there. He is several times more powerful than before. Have all soldiers on high alert. We'll be there shortly." With that he hung up. "Let's get moving, I don't want to give Plasmius too much of a head start."

"Hold on," Marmel interrupted, looking at the small, watch-like object on his wrist. "According to radar, there's still another ghost in the castle."

"What?" Danielle yelled. "You're worried about some mystery ghost when Vlad's running around at full power?"

"Relax kid, we'll handle it," Kaufman assured. "You go after Vlad, we'll arrest his last follower."

"Sounds good to me," Valerie said. "I've still got a score to settle."

"Yeah, let's move," Danny said. With that, the entire team headed to the Spectre Speeder, since it could move faster than even Danny could fly.

"Alright, let's get this last guy. I don't want any loose ends coming back to bite us."

* * *

"Oh, I wish they'd come back," Pamela said, looking out the Ops Center window.

"You know, pacing like that isn't going to make them come back any sooner," Ember snapped, growing annoyed by the older woman's actions.

Jeremy sighed, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder. "I'm worried about Samantha too, but Ember's right. We just have to hope for the best."

"I know, I just…" the woman started, but noticed something odd.

Ember suddenly had a very frightened look on her face. With utter terror, she pointed past the Manson family. "V-v-v-v…"

Had the couple turned in time, they would have seen Vlad from the window right before he fired two ectoblasts at the Ops Center's supports. Instead, they were knocked off their feet by the sudden shaking before the structure collapsed to the ground.

Still in Vlad's grip, Maddie was frozen with horror. "You… you monster!" she screamed. "They had nothing to do with this! You didn't have to hurt them!"

"Au contraire, my dear, I've been keeping tabs. Ms. McLain could prove to be a powerful enemy, and two vengeful parents could prove to be a problem, especially with the Mansons' many resources. I had to take steps to protect myself."

"You can use any excuse you want, but it doesn't change anything!" the auburn-haired woman screamed as her captor phased them in to her living room. When Vlad touched down in front of the couch, Maddie finally wormed free of the oldest half-ghost's grasp. She quickly reached for her belt, presumably to get one of her melee weapons, but before she could her enemy unexpectedly slapped her across the face.

Before she could recover from this, a band of ectoplasmic energy wrapped around her chest, securing her arms at her side. Then, a smaller band as attached to her wrists, binding her hands behind her back. "I'm sorry it had to come to this, my dear, but you're going to have to learn not to resist me," Vlad lectured, securing a final band on her ankles.

"How dare…" Maddie began, but was cut off by a gloved hand covering her mouth.

"Perhaps you don't understand," the halfa said in a sinister tone. "I've won. Even if Daniel and Jack survived, with my new power I could crush them. You're mine, whether you like it or not. So just get use to it. Now, I have some business to attend to."

With that, Vlad casually phased through the floor and into the Fentons' lab. He paused for a moment, looking at the several inventions. "Ah, twenty years of work, all from Jack Fenton," he mused, before firing a blast at a table full of lab equipment. "I almost wish that fat oaf was still alive so he could see me destroy all his hard work like he's destroyed mine," he laughed, firing another blast, this one causing several resting inventions to explode. "Oh well, can't have your cake and eat it too, I suppose." With that, he began firing blasts in rapid succession.

Within seconds the lad was destroyed, only sparking circuits and scorched walls giving evidence to its former glory. Only one of the inventions, the Ghost Portal, still stood. It had been damaged, but was still going. After a pause, he decided it could be useful to him in the future. "My work here is done. Now, to crush the remaining opposition."

* * *

For the first time, Tucker was really beginning to regret taking up a political career. He knew it would mean less time with his friends, especially on the ghost-hunting front, but this was too much. When Vlad had been found, the young mayor wanted to take up an ectogun and join in his former hobby, but was forced to stay by the town's police force. Now, Vlad was on his way here, and he was confined to his office, unable to fight.

"Man, this is lame," Tucker whined as he drummed his fingers.

Agent Moon, who had been assigned to guard him, rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry, Mr. Mayor, but my orders were to keep you safe."

"I know, but that doesn't mean I have to like it," the boy mumbled, drumming his fingers.

Moon shook his head. "Look, I know…"

Whatever the agent was going to say, it was suddenly shorted out by his radio crackling to life. "Agent Moon, this is Agent Paulsen," a voice said through the static. "Plasmius was just here at headquarters… he destroyed everything… he's more powerful than ever… he's heading toward City Hall… evacuate the mayor…"

If Paulsen said anything else, it was drowned out by what happened next. The doors to Tucker's office blew open, sending splinters everywhere. Vlad floated into the room, with a very evil smile on his face. Moon reached for his ectogun, but the halfa casually shot him in the chest with an ectoblast, slamming him into a wall. Tucker reached for his own gun, but before he could touch it he was lifted from the ground by the front of his shirt.

"Consider yourself impeached," he said before throwing Tucker out of the large glass window directly behind his desk. The glass shattered, and Amity Park's youngest mayor was sent tumbling to the ground below.

Smiling at the deed that he had done, Vlad floated to the broken window and peered in. The boy was on the ground, unmoving. He must have at least been seriously injured, maybe a concussion, or at least a broken bone. Either way, he wasn't going to be much of a threat.

Good. Now to take out the police force. Then, he'd go to the DGA prison and gets those traitors back under control. He flew off into the distance.

After he left, Tucker looked up. Playing possum had worked. Getting to his feet quickly, he began sprinting toward FentonWorks.

It was time to get back to his favorite pastime.

* * *

Maddie struggled against her restraints. She had to get loose, to give the Mansons and Ember medical treatment, to see if her husband, kids, and friends were alright, to plan some kind of strategy for Vlad.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. Seconds later, Danny floated in, followed by Danielle, Jazz, and Jack.

"Mom!" the three kids shouted, dashing to her and hugging her.

"You're alright!" she cried, overjoyed. Her husband kissed her as Danny began easily pulling of her restraints.

"Did you see the Ops Center? The others were in it when Vlad…"

"Don't worry," Jazz assured. "The others started looking through that when we got here."

At that point, the front door opened once again. A few seconds later Sam was in the living room. Two of her vines were helping her parents walk, eventually setting them down on the couch. Both Jeremy and Pamela were injured and dazed, but mostly fine.

However, the next patient brought in by Amorpho and Valerie was not. Ember looked bad, with blue ectoplasm covering her like blood. The living room was only a path, however, as it was clear the two were trying to get her into the Fenton's lab.

"I used the phone in my suit to call Frostbite," Valerie assured as she carried the musician into the next room. "His doctors will be able to treat her."

"That's good, because I think Vlad destroyed the lab," Maddie said grimly.

"I thought he would," Jack sighed. "Let's hope he didn't get into the weapons vault. We're going to need firepower." With that, he went lumbering towards the family's weapon supply.

Danny sighed. "He's right. Do you think we can take down Vlad as we are? We may need more firepower."

At that point the front door opened again. Seconds later Kaufman and Marmel were in the living room, carrying a familiar face.

"The Dairy King?" Sam asked, a bit surprised.

"Vlad was holding him captive," Kaufman said, referring to the unconscious ghost that he and his second-in-command were placing on the couch were Maddie had previously occupied. "He had a blow to the head and is a bit ragged, but otherwise okay."

"Which is more than I can say for our lab," Jack's voice sounded from the kitchen doorway. When the group looked, they saw two ghosts with him.

"Great One! It's an honor to see you."

"Sir Phantom, I wish we could meet under better circumstances."

"Aunt Dora!" Danielle squealed, running up and hugging her former guardian.

"Frostbite? Dora?" Danny asked, puzzled. "Why are you…"

"When I realized Plasmius was in power again, I decided to come here with my medical team to aid you in battle. I ordered the rest of my forces to prepare for battle."

"And I traveled here to fetch my brother," Dora explained. "I came myself to see Lady Danielle, though I was hoping for more of a welcome."

"Oh no, Aragon!" Danny suddenly remembered, panicking. "What if Vlad set him free?"

"Relax, sweetie," Maddie assured, "we put those thermoses in the weapons vault."

"That's good," Kaufman noted. "We don't need another problem right now. But how long will it take your forces to get here?"

Frostbite thought a moment. "Without the Infi-Map…I'd say about an hour."

"Then let's get the DGA," Sam suggested. "I doubt Vlad could handle a few dozen agents."

Kaufman and Marmel grimaced. "Actually, he can," the second-in-command said solemnly. "We got word from headquarters. They were attacked. Right now, the only agent besides us that is not injured or MIA is Paulsen."

"Are you telling me it's just the thirteen of us?" Danny asked, hoping it wasn't true.

"Maybe not," Kaufman mused. "I think I know how to get some backup. Just give me a minute." With that, the head of the DGA dashed out side.

"We better get armed," Maddie noted, heading towards the weapons vault. "Vlad's going to be a tough fight."

"Excuse me," a familiar voice said. One more new face had entered the room.

"Is this a private fight," Tucker asked jokingly, "or can anyone join?"

* * *

A few minutes later, a radio broadcast swept over Amity Park.

"This is the head of the DGA. As you are all aware, Plasmius has returned. I'm giving a call to aid to all citizens. Any ghost or ghost hunter willing to face him should come to FentonWorks. If we have left to arrest Plasmius, we shouldn't be hard to find."

* * *

With Team Phantom supposedly out of the way and the DGA at least scattered, Vlad was taking his time with the last bit of clean up he had to do in Amity Park. The police force had been outfitted with a few ectoguns in order to keep up with the ghosts that invaded their city, but they were still far from capable of handling the infamous half-ghost, and he wanted to savor this moment.

"Well, that was fun," Vlad said, tossing the last unconscious officer aside. "But that's about enough fun. Time for business," he laughed as he exited the remains of the police station.

"I'd stop if I were you," a voice said.

A voice Vlad recognized. The hybrid turned, surprised to see his enemy still alive, but was more surprised at what he saw.

Kaufman had called for help… and it had come in spades.

The entirety of Team Phantom was there, Tucker joining them for the first time in a while. Agents Kaufman and Marmel were also as ready to fight as ever, while Dora and Frostbite were at their sides, ready to fight for their kingdoms. But the real surprise was those that chose to answer the call. Plasmius recognized two ghost-hunting teams he had hired long ago, during the million dollar ghost incident. The Extreme Ghostbreakers and the Groovy Gang seemed to be the only humans to answer the call. Johnny 13, Kitty, and Poindexter were present, apparently wanting a piece of Vlad as well. The Box Ghost and the Lunch Lady were present as well, hoping to get some of their past crimes redeemed. The most surprising addition, however, was Wulf, who luckily enough had been passing through Amity Park, and Klemper, who seemed to come out of nowhere.

While initially shocked, Vlad couldn't help but smile. "Aw, you're actually trying to stop me? How quaint."

"Vlad," Danny said with uncommon ferocity. "It's all of us versus one of you. I think we have the advantage."

That earned a laugh. "You seriously believe that?" he asked, cracking his knuckles. "You're welcome to try. Just try not to get your blood on me when I kill you."


	18. Melee

A/N: Well, here's part one of the final battle. Part two will come soon enough.

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom copyright Butch Hartman, Billionfold, Nickelodeon, and Viacom. I don't own it.

* * *

When Vlad charged forward, every one of his opponents did as well. How they managed to do this without tripping over themselves is a mystery lost to time. Another is how the eldest half-ghost managed to avoid being harmed. All anyone knew is that one moment he was in front of the tiny army out for his blood, the next he was in the air with three identical copies of himself floating at his side.

When those four swooped down onto the battlefield, there instantly began four separate melees. One, of course, headed straight for his rival Danny Phantom. Unfortunately, he came so fast that the world's savior failed to prepare an adequate defense before he was punched in the face. However, the powerful opponent had flown right past Maddie, Jack, and Danielle on his way to attack, a fact the three tried to take advantage of by blasting their hated enemy in the back. However, Vlad proved to have quick reflexes. With unprecedented speed he had a shield up on his back.

His next attacks were aimed to punish those who had tried to damage him. In a blink his fist was suddenly connected with Jack's jaw. A split-second later his boot had struck the side of Maddie's head. Then, in another instant, he was suddenly behind his most successful cloning attempt, one fist grabbing her by the neck.

The small girl screamed in pain as her former father continued to squeeze her nerves. "You worthless excuse for an experiment, did you actually think you could damage me?"

If Vlad's taunt had anything more to it, it was interrupted by the sound of two ectoguns charging up. Not wasting another second, he turned around and swung his creation into her sister, who in turn fell onto Tucker, both of their ectoguns falling to the ground and the three of them collapsing in a heap.

Momentarily stunned, they failed to do anything while Vlad was charging an ectoblast, hoping to eliminate three of his targets right then. But vines snaking onto his arms and legs interrupted his attack. As he pulled against his temporary restraints, he saw Sam out of the corner of his eyes, the strain of trying to keep her opponent in her grasp apparent. Indeed, he felt the vines loosen at that moment.

Fortunately, Sam's saving grace came in the form of her boyfriend, who flew in and delivered a punch to his archenemy's face, then another. Before a third could be landed, one of Vlad's hands got free and grabbed Danny by his jumpsuit. He then swung him around till he was in front of the plant girl, then released him by shooting him with an ectoblast at point blank range. Danny went flying back into his girlfriend, the two of them tumbling to the ground.

Maddie saw this and immediately become infuriated that one of her children had been harmed, jumped to her feet and leveled her ectobazooka strait at her former friend's head and pulled the trigger. The powerful blast struck directly in the back of the head, sending him back. Snarling with anger and pain, he quickly turned and fired an ectoblast, hitting the woman square in the chest. The attack sent her to the ground, unmoving.

It took a half a second for Vlad to realize that he had harmed the woman he loved with such a powerful attack. A look of horror washed over his features as he noted Maddie's unmoving body. She could even be…

Vlad's thought's were cut off by something pounding the side of his head. As he fell back, he saw Jack, decked out in the Ghost Gauntlets, looking at him with fire in his eyes. "You hurt her!" he bellowed, punching his former best friend again.

When the hybrid recovered, he tried to speak. "I didn't…" He was cut off by another punch to the face.

The third punch that came was blocked. "It's your fault it happened!" Vlad roared, delivering a hard punch of his own. "You made me this way!" he added, throwing another punch, which sent him to the ground. "Everything bad that's happened to me has been because of you!" he finished as he threw another punch.

The attack never connected, because at that point Tucker fired a shot from his ectogun that struck the bitter hybrid in the face. The gun was powerful, one of the best the Fentons had ever created, and Vlad certainly felt it. He stumbled back before regaining his senses. Another shot was fired, but this one missed thanks to speed. The half-ghost threw a punch, but the tech nerd proved to have unexpected reflexes. He dodged and fired another shot, which connected with its target's stomach. Unfortunately, he quickly recovered and landed a punch on the boy's face. Needless to say, he went flying, hitting a wall behind him. He didn't get up.

Vlad had little time to revel in his victory, however, as at that moment something small but powerful rammed him from behind. He tumbled forward before he was blasted in the back. Growing angry, he turned around to face his opponent but found nothing. He was stuck again in the back. Becoming more angry than hurt, he turned and once again found nothing. He then realized what was going on, his enemy had a grip on his cape, and he had a good idea who it was.

Reaching behind him, his grip found something small. Giving a swift tug, his sight found Danielle, being held by the leg and thrashing wildly. In rage, he swung his ex-daughter into the ground. The poor girl hit the ground hard, but was still able to keep fighting. Seeing this, Vlad slammed his boot onto her stomach, pressing her against the ground.

Before he could follow this attack, he was suddenly shot with an ectogun being held by a very angry Jazz. "Get…away…from my sister!" she said in rage, firing her weapon twice more in rapid succession. The attacks struck Plasmius in the chest, sending him back and effectively freeing Danielle from his heel. However, it had the consequence of turning the murderous hybrid's rage onto the oldest Fenton child who, unfortunately, was far less durable than her siblings. While she managed to fire another shot, but it was dodged before she felt a powerful blow hit the back of her head. She went straight down, darkness taking her world.

Giving a satisfied smile, Vlad turned back to Danielle. He saw Sam was helping her to her feet, and Danny was beside them, looking ready to fight. Giving a smug smile, Vlad charged forward.

* * *

While Vlad himself was fighting, one of his duplicates was in the midst of another group of enemies. His first one dropped down onto the one he figured would be the biggest threat to him besides Danny.

Frostbite was slammed into the ground by a powerful ectoplasm powered kick. As soon as this was accomplished he flew up, which was a smart move, because Kaufman and Marmel both tried to shoot him. The shots flew away harmlessly and few seconds later a kick knocked the head of the DGA to the ground.

Kaufman proved to have luck on his side, because at that point a small blue ghost suddenly grabbed the powerful foe on the arm. "Will you be my friend?" Klemper asked, completely oblivious to the danger he had put himself in.

"As I've said before, no!" the bitter ghost roared, hitting the poor ghost with a blast. Fortunately, the blast was not enough to destroy the friendly ghost, but it most certainly ensured he wouldn't participate in the battle further.

At that point a much more competent ghost tackled Vlad to the ground. Wulf slashed Vlad across the back, causing him to yell in pain. He leapt to his feet, but the monstrous fighter kept his opponent in a bear hug, leaving him unable to get free. As this happened, Amorpho decided to take advantage of the situation. Quickly flying in front of the restrained figure, he morphed both of his hands into what appeared to be boxing gloves and began jabbing away.

While the purpose of boxing gloves is to soften punches, it felt like it was having the opposite effect for the hybrid. Every jab was damaging him, increasing his pain and rage. Finally, with a roar of rage, Vlad burst loose of Wulf's grip, sending the large canine back. Almost immediately he had a hand around Amorpho's throat. A second later, the changeling was on the ground, having been roughly slammed there.

Giving his sadistic smile, Vlad flew toward Wulf, only to find himself suddenly restrained. For a split second, he was confused, then panicked when he realized he was in the oversized grasp of Dora, who was in her terrifying dragon form.

After a second, the dragon was forced to release her captor due to the immensely powerful wave of ectoplasm he shot out. Waving her scaled hand in pain, she shot a burst of fire in Plasmius's direction. The attack managed to connect, singeing the evil figure. However, it wasn't enough to stop him from retaliating. With his energy he fired a powerful ectoblast directly at her open mouth.

Instantly the medieval ghost screeched in pain. Stunned by the attack, she failed to stop her enemy from flying over to her and rudely removing her amulet, turning her back into the petite princess she was.

Realizing her situation, the ruler of Aragon looked timidly at the intimidating figure now floating over her. Vlad looked none too pleased with nearly being fried. Dora gulped as he charged up an ectoblast.

It seemed luck shined on her, however, because at that moment Wulf, having seconds before performed an impressive leap, tackled Vlad in midair and brought him down to the ground, pinning him. Once this was complete, he began slashing at his chest. Yelling in pain, the hybrid suffered three slashes to the chest before he managed to knock his assailant off with an ectoblast. In all the chaos he dropped Dora's amulet, a fact that the princess failed to notice until it was too late. She immediately flew low, scanning the wreckage for her family heirloom.

Plasmius had no rest after getting Wulf off of him, for at that moment he was suddenly engulfed in a blast of ice. When it settled it was frozen solid, with Frostbite just behind him, looking satisfied.

"Well, I suppose that's…"

The leader of the Far Frozen never finished his sentence, because at that moment the ice around his opponent's arm shattered and made its way to his throat, having a surprisingly firm grip. As the remaining ice shattered, the yeti was flung into the still-recovering Wulf. Both large canines were sent skidding into a nearby building, crumbling the walls and knocking them both out.

Vlad didn't see this, however, because at that moment two ectoblasts struck him in the back. In anger he turned and got a shield up in time to block two more. The ones responsible were Kaufman and Marmel, who continued to fire their ectoguns in rapid succession. However, this was not with much success. Moving so quick he could barely be seen, the first half-ghost flew behind the agents so quick it took them a half second to realize it. That delay cost them, because at that moment two black gloves gripped their heads and slammed them together, causing them both to fall to the ground.

Amorpho, watching this from a few feet away, was contemplating running away. He liked attention, but he didn't know if he wanted to go through this much trouble for it. Then again, he felt guilty even thinking of leaving.

Before he could make up his mind either way, Vlad turned his attention on him. Tensing in fear, the shape-shifter didn't even get a chance to react before he was violently punched in his non-existent face. He went sailing, and the hybrid didn't bother keeping an eye on him. As powerful as he was, Amorpho was surely unconscious. Instead, he turned to the final opponent, who had just made progress.

"Finally, here it is!" Dora said happily, clutching her amulet.

An ectoblast to the back of the head ended her happiness.

* * *

The second Vlad copy found himself in battle with another group of Danny's backup. Unfortunately, none in this group were known for being heavy hitters, so needless to say he had the advantage.

He first targeted Johnny, who he figured would be the biggest threat. His speed was so quick that he was scarcely seen until he was right in front of the deceased biker. A punch sent him flying, but the attack wasn't followed up. With all his power, Vlad's only Achilles's heel, arrogance, had begun to overtake him once again. Figuring that no one else around was a threat, he let his guard down, allowing Youngblood a clean shot from his mechanical slingshot.

When the ectoball struck the back of his head, the faux Vlad forgot his original target and turned around. This was another mistake. For his lack of strength, Poindexter was a good tactical mind. When his opponent turned around, the nerd used his pen to spray him in the face with a well full of ghostly ink.

Growling in anger, Vlad tried to wipe of the substance that was temporarily blinding him. This, of course, left him open to attack, which his opponents readily took advantage of. The Lunch Lady instantly hit him with a pile of meat, which was more annoying than anything. Johnny graciously returned the damage done to him with a series of punches to the face. These attacks continued until one of Vlad's blind shots finally struck him in the chest, knocking him off.

There was no relief for him, because Youngblood stepped up as soon as his comrade was down. Morphing his hook into a taser, he flew up behind his enemy, latched onto his cape, and drove the electrifying weapon into his back.

Instantly the hybrid roared in pain, the feeling of several volts running through him clearly uncomfortable. He began shaking wildly, trying to throw the small ghost off of him. Finally, Vlad knew what to do. He dived backwards toward the ground, smashing the child between himself and the hard concrete. When Vlad rose, Youngblood didn't.

At that point, the hybrid finally wiped the last of the ink off his face. Finally able to see, he was a bit stunned to see a pink beam heading toward him. He didn't realize until it hit him that this was Kitty's kiss of death.

Kitty's energy enveloped him…then fizzled out. The green haired girl was shocked that her trademark attack had failed. "What? But…"

"So sorry, my dear," Vlad said snidely as he grabbed the young girl by the throat, "but such tricks aren't going to work with me."

"Hey, let go of her!" Johnny yelled, flying up to his level.

"Whatever you say," the hybrid said before throwing her hard to the ground. Instantly her boyfriend rushed to her, but this proved to be a mistake. With his back turned, Johnny was wide open for a powerful ectoblast to the back. He was sent rocketing to the ground, joining his lover in unconsciousness.

Giving a sinister smile, Vlad turned around…and found a familiar and annoying figure in front of him.

"Halt! Your reign of terror ends here, for I, the Box Ghost, shall defeat you!"

"Oh please, you?" Vlad snorted. "What exactly are you going to do?"

The Box Ghost raised his left hand and, much to his opponent's surprise, formed energy around it. When a blue cube of energy had formed in his palm, he slammed it into Vlad's chest, causing a surprising amount of knockback.

"At last! I, the Box Ghost, have learned to make my precious boxes out of ectoplasmic energy! Fear m--…"

That monologue cost him dearly, because when Vlad recovered, he was angry. He grabbed his enemy by the arm that shot him and began tightening his grip, causing the Box Ghost to shriek in pain.

"Try using that hand now," he taunted before firing a blast to his face, sending him down.

"You'll pay for hurting Boxxy!" the Lunch Lady screamed in rage, flying toward Vlad at top speed. Of course, this only helped Vlad. Able to see his opponent coming, he had plenty of time to charge up an ectoblast. He fired when she was just three feet from him, and the beam engulfed him. When it lifted, she fell to the ground.

Poindexter, watching from a safe distance, wasn't a coward, but he also wasn't stupid. He knew he wouldn't be able to touch Vlad, much less damage him, so he decided to do what would be the practical, if not seemingly cowardly.

He ran.

* * *

The final group of opponents is what Vlad would describe as the bottom of the barrel. Only Valerie was one he would consider a threat. The rest, leftover pawns from a long ago scheme, would be easily defeated. This was unfortunate for the Red Hunter, because he chose to plow into her first, knocking her off her jetsled and tackling her to the ground.

Taking advantage of the fact that attention wasn't on them, both of the Ghost Breakers, being more competent than their enemy gave them credit for, both pulled out ectoguns and shot him in the back. Unfortunately, Vlad was more than prepared. He quickly turned around, dodged the blasts, and tossed the Red Hunter into the female member of the team, sending them to the ground. The then punched the male half in the stomach, his fist easily piercing the armor and knocking him out.

While this was going on, the male half of the Groovy Gang was trying to get the team's mascot to react. "Come on, Scaredy Cat, get him!" The tiger shook his head, burying it under his paws. "Like, I'll give you a Kitty Krunch." He said, holding up the treat.

Instantly the feline's demeanor changed. His eyes glowed, his claws came out, and he pounced upon the powerful half ghost, clawing and biting him from behind.

Contrary to popular belief, Scaredy Cat did serve a purpose. His humans coated his claws and teeth with special caps made of ectoranium, which was very effective in stunning ghosts. However, for someone as powerful as Vlad, it was an annoyance.

"Get…off…of me, you mangy…furball!" Vlad yelled, trying desperately to tear the tiger off. Finally he grabbed the animal's collar, tugging him off while choking him in the process. This didn't last long, however. At that moment both human members of his group shot Vlad in the back of the head, causing him to drop his captive. True to his name, Scaredy Cat ran away.

Turning in rage, Vlad shot two ectoblasts, both of which hit their marks and made short work of his opposition. However, almost immediately he was shot again, this time by the remaining Ghost Breaker. Turning around, he leveled his gaze with the girl. This time, instead of being angry, he was almost amused. The girl fired her ectogun several more times, but the halfa dodged each and every one almost elegantly, each missed shot bringing him closer. Finally he was close enough to knock the gun out of her hand and wrap his hands around her.

"Honestly, what did you think you'd accomplish?"

To his surprise, the girl smiled. "Distracting you," was her only answer.

By the time Vlad pieced it together it was too late. Valerie was behind him, all three of her gun blocks and a rather large ectogun unleashing their full power. Roaring in pain, Vlad released the girl, who instantly pulled out her own ectogun and began rapidly firing, backing up all the time. By now, Plasmius was being rapidly shot, but he was beginning to get his bearings back. He formed an ectoshield around himself and then expanded it out, slamming both of the girls with it. The Ghost Breaker fell next to her teammate.

Valerie's better designed suit kept her standing, but it didn't matter, because Vlad immediately followed up his attacks with a punch to the face. Now on the ground, the Red Hunter was about to get back up when she was kicked roughly in the stomach, sending her rolling across the ground.

"Why couldn't you have just been a good little pawn and do what you were told?"

The dark-skinned girl responded with a triple blast from her gun blocks. Getting to her feet, she attempted firing again, but her opponent was too quick. Another punch in the face resulted in her helmet flying off, while another hand caught her shoulder, ripping the arm off her armor. Finally, Vlad grabbed her face in one hand and lifted her into the air.

"Now, this time…stay down!" he yelled, slamming the girl down headfirst on the hard concrete.

Vlad released her and surveyed the damage. Her eyes were wide open, and blood was leaking from the back of her head. She wasn't dead, but she wasn't getting up before the battle was over.

Giving a sinister smile, he turned to where the original Vlad was facing Danny, Sam, and Danielle. "Now, for the real problems."


	19. Penultimate

A/N: Finally back! Don't worry, this story will be finished! I'm glad you've all been reading!

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom copyright Butch Hartman, Billionfold, Nickelodeon and Viacom. I don't own it.

* * *

Throughout the fight, Danny, Sam, and Danielle had remained dimly aware of the deteriorating situation. Vlad was felling their allies fast, and many of their own group had been taken out. But it was only when the four halfas merged back into one that they realized they were alone.

"Well, I suppose this is appropriate," Vlad said. "It all comes down to us, the four half-ghosts. It's just a shame you three aren't much of a challenge."

Danny clenched his teeth and raised his fists, preparing for battle. Sam summoned four vines from her back and got in a ready stance. Danielle mimicked her big brother's stance, but left her palms open, green ectoenergy brisling from them.

"What's wrong? No clever quips? No dramatic sayings?" the evil hybrid taunted.

"Just shut up!" Danielle spat, her angry look intensifying.

"I have a gesture for you," Sam said, "but it's inappropriate to do it in front of Danielle."

"Charming," Vlad mocked, getting in a battle-ready stance. For a moment, nobody moved, the tension building with every passing second.

Then in a flash Vlad was in front of his opponents, his palm right in front of Danny's face. A red ectoblast struck him in the face, sending him crashing through the window of a nearby building. In an instant the two girls were attacking, with Danielle blasting her pseudo-father in the side of the head. He was too quick, however, and dodged. Before she knew it, the youngest halfa had a black glove in front of her face, a sinister ectoblast charging up.

Then suddenly a vine wrapped around his wrist, pulling his arm down, causing the ectoblast to pass harmlessly below its target. Before anything could be done another vine grabbed his other wrist and pulled it back, leaving him wide open for a rapid-fire attack from Danielle, who pummeled her creator with as many ectoblasts as she could.

This continued until Vlad suddenly brought his boot up and delivered a swift kick to Danni's midriff. With Vlad's cruelty, the attack didn't stop there. The senior half-ghost carried the girl higher up with his boot as he did a flip, bring her up and then down, smashing her into Sam's head, which caused her to release her opponent and tumble to the ground with her comrade.

The girls recovered, but Vlad flew down to follow up on his attack. He never got the chance, because at that moment Danny flew in from nowhere and delivered a punch to his gut. He continued punching him at rapid speed, pushing him into the air. Like he had before, Vlad tried to end the assault with a kick, but Danny, having more experience than the girls, was quick enough to dodge.

Vlad had a bad habit of underestimating his opponents. Indeed, he never thought that Danny would be quick enough to dodge, which left him unprepared for the counter, an ectoblast to the face. Since the elder Phantom's attacks had quite a bit more kick than his sister's, this one did more damage than any of Danni's.

Almost immediately after this attack hit two sharp vines struck Vlad in the side, causing him to wince. Sam tried to follow this up with three more vines, but Plasmius dodged, pulling the two vines lodged in him out and burning them with his ectoenergy.

Sam's vines were connected to her nervous system. While they could regenerate, it still hurt quite a bit to have them damaged, which is why she started shrieking in pain. Almost immediately, both of the Phantoms flew up and each delivered kicks to both sides of Vlad's head.

Plasmius released the vines and fired twin ectoblasts at his other two opponents, doing so quickly enough to stop any counters and sending them back. With that he began rubbing his aching head, giving a brief moment where all halfas were recovering.

Fortunately it was Sam who recovered first, and she took advantage of it. She summoned five vines and sent them forward. Her aim was true, and each vine became embedded in her enemy's back. Vlad roared in pain. Then, in a truly unsettling move, turned his head toward her and gave a malicious grin.

Before this could register in the plant girl's brain, Vlad channeled his energy into his back, and through Sam's vines.

As much as getting struck by an ectoblast hurt, getting it run right through one's nervous system was an infinitely more painful experience. Sam shrieked louder than she ever remembered.

Danny, being the good boyfriend he was, wasn't going to stand for it. He flew up to Vlad and, in absolute anger, threw a punch directly at his face.

This is exactly what he wanted. In a flash he stopped his attack, allowing Sam to release him and fall to the ground, turned and grabbed his long time enemy's wrist. "Bad move, little badger," he said mockingly. With that, he yanked Danny's arm right out of its socket.

Danny's howls of pain filled the air as his arm went limp. He opened his mouth, probably to utter words he would normally never speak, but Vlad blasted him in the face with an ectoblast, sending him back.

Angrily, Danielle flew in with three ectoblasts, intent on avenging her brother's injuries. However, her efforts were in vain, as her creator dodged her attack gracefully, then before she could react, grabbed her by the throat, squeezing her windpipe.

"Let go of me," the youngest Fenton child demanded, trying fruitlessly to pry his hand off.

"And why should I do that?" Plasmius taunted. "Your so called brother and his harlot are too busy licking their wounds to help you, and what exactly are you going to do to stop me?" As he spoke, he floated over to a building. When he finished, he pulled back his arm and slammed the small girl into the brick.

Danielle shrieked in pain as Vlad pulled her back and slammed her again. The girl once again screamed. Her back felt sore, her head felt like it was going to split in half. She felt liquid run through her hair that she prayed wasn't blood.

"I should have put you out of your misery the moment you came out of that tube. That's a mistake I'm about to…"

He was cut off by what appeared to be an ectoblast whizzing past his head. He turned, taking his eyes of his crying captive, to see Poindexter, attempting to steadily hold one of the Fenton's ectoguns aimed at Vlad.

Sydney Poindexter was a logical ghost, and logic told him that there was no way he could put a dent in Plasmius's defenses, therefore he should flee. But overpowering his logic was a little voice inside him. It was telling him to go back and try to contribute to the battle. So, despite every cell in his brain telling him not to, he returned in time to see the most hated ghost in history pull Phantom's arm out. Being unable to fire his own ectoblasts, being so weak even after death, that he was forced to look in the back of the nearby Fenton GAV for an ectogun. Grabbing the first he saw, he quickly rushed into battle.

"D-d-don't move!" the outdated nerd said shakily, trying very unsuccessfully to be intimidating. Even if his quivering voice didn't give his fear away, the fact that his arms were shaking too badly to successfully aim his weapon would have.

Vlad smirked, clearly more amused than intimidated. He released his grip on Danielle, allowing her to fall to the ground, and began floating toward the weak ghost. "Well, it appears that you actually have a spine," he sneered.

"Don't come any closer!" he demanded, though it sounded more like a plea. "Or I'll…"

In a flash, Vlad was in front of him, scaring him so badly that he dropped his weapon. "Or what?" the powerful ghost mocked.

"Hey Vlad!" a voice mocked. Plasmius turned and Poindexter, deciding he'd done enough heroics for a lifetime, decided to get out of the battlefield in the fastest manner possible.

Danny had popped his arm back into his socket, which hurt nearly as much as having it pulled out. Then he flew up and saw his nemesis about to tear Poindexter apart. After shouting his taunt, his ally flew away, allowing the savior of the world to perform his most powerful attack.

After a deep breath he let loose the most powerful Ghostly Wail he could muster. The powerful sound waves flew over Plasmius, pushing him back and into the building he had previously slammed Danielle into. Then the wall collapsed, sending him flying into the thankfully vacant office room, then tumbling through several other rooms, until he finally stopped, his ears ringing and his body feeling drained.

Meanwhile, Danny landed next to where Poindexter had dropped his ectogun, trying not to turn back into his human form. He felt drained, but he had to keep going.

"Danny!" Danielle called, flying toward her brother. Sam was right behind her. While their coming would normally be a welcome sight, but he felt his heart tighten at the sight. His little sister was battered and bruised, and he saw faint traces of green blood from where her creator had beat her. His girlfriend had less visible injuries, but she was flying shakily, indicating that her nerves had still not recovered.

"I saw that! You pounded him!" the younger Phantom said, hugging her brother.

"Yeah, well it isn't going to keep him down for long. That stupid crown makes him too powerful."

"Maybe that's it," Sam said. "If we can knock his crown off, maybe he'll go back to normal."

"Yeah, let's get him!" Danielle said, beginning to fly off.

"Hold on," Danny said, grabbing her by the arm. "You're hurt. You should get out of here.'

"What? No way!" the youngest Fenton child said. "I'm staying!"

"Danielle, the back of your head is bleeding. You should go home and get healed."

"I'd have to agree with Danny," Sam said. "You're hurt. Head home, we can handle Vlad."

"Actually, Sam," Danny said slowly, wondering how to put this. "I was thinking that maybe you should leave too."

"What?" the plant girl said, shocked at her boyfriend's suggestion.

"Sam, I saw what happened, and I paid attention when my parents explained everything. Your vines are connected right with your nerves and they just got fried. You should rest."

"And leave you alone with Plasmius? Pardon my language around Danni, but hell no!"

"Yeah, you can't beat him alone!" Danielle pleaded.

"I just need to get the Crown off, I can handle it! You're both hurt, you need to rest!"

"Danny," Sam said firmly, "we're staying, and there's nothing you can say to change our minds."

Danny looked at both girls' looks of determination. After a moment, he spoke. "I know there isn't."

Then, faster than any girls could see, he reached to the ground and picked up the ectogun that Poindexter had dropped, pointing it right at the pair. "But I'm not giving you a choice." With that, he fired.

* * *

Had Poindexter been more familiar with the Fenton's weapons, he would have known that the gun he had picked out wasn't a gun to do damage. Maddie had used it during the first major ghost invasion on Amity Park to send Walker's guards back to the Ghost Zone. That was all it did, it caused no damage.

Which is why Danny had no problem using it on his loved ones, and why Sam and Danielle suddenly found themselves in the Ghost Zone.

Sam looked around, the current situation sinking in. When she realized what had happened, she started cursing, but caught herself when she realized Danielle was with her.

"How'd we get here?" Danielle asked, looking around.

"It was that gun," Sam explained, sounding angry. "Come on," she demanded, grabbing her future sister-in-law by the arm and pulling her along.

"Where are we going?"

"We're going to find the Ghost Portal and get back to Earth. If Danny manages to win, I'm going to nurse him back to health, kiss him senseless, then beat him half to death for doing this," she snarled

* * *

Danny tossed the ectogun away before turning back to the building where Vlad had crashed. He immediately flew forward, praying that his rival was still down.

No such luck. Vlad flew out of the office with fury in his eyes. He lunged at Danny, hoping to tackle him. The younger halfa was quick enough to dodge, and Plasmius continued forward until his momentum eased enough for him to turn. Just as he faced his enemy, an ectoblast soared past his head, burning his hair. Two more came, just missing him.

Danny cursed himself, he wasn't as good with sharpshooting as he thought. Before he could berate himself, however, Vlad flew in again, shooting ectoblasts of his own. Danny dodged them all, but was too distracted to stop his opponent from grabbing him by the collar and belting him across the face. Stumbling back, he was nearly struck again, but h quick enough to duck. Then he came up and knocked Plasmius on the chin.

With his opponent temporarily distracted, he quickly reached for the Crown. However, Vlad recovered too quickly and grabbed his wrist, twisting his arm back. Danny yelled in pain as Vlad struck him in the back, sending him to the ground.

Danny hit the concrete at full force, leaving a small crater in the sidewalk. Groaning, he rolled on his back and tried to get up, only to be slammed down by Vlad's boot. For a few moments, all the halfa could see was the sole of his opponent's foot grinding into his face.

"This is right where you belong, Daniel," he sneered. However, Danny bringing up his palm and firing stopped his attack. Despite being a blind shot, it struck its target, and Vlad stepped off, temporarily blinded by another shot in the face.

Again Danny decided to make a grab for the Crown, but again Vlad was too quick. He gave a punch to the face, then quickly grabbed the teen by the face, pushing him into the side of a building. He then pulled him back and slammed him back against the wall. Grinning maliciously, he continued doing this until there were several specks of green blood against the bricks. Indeed, it was running out the back of Danny's head, very noticeable on his white hair.

Satisfied with the damage, Vlad moved his hand to Danny's neck, lifting him up. "I offered you everything, my entire fortune, my empire, my legacy, but you threw it out, and for what? That oafish father of yours? That gothic hussy? That little abomination you call a sister? Pathetic. I'm going to make you wish you had never opposed me!"

Then, suddenly, a shot rang out.

The Crown of Fire flew from Vlad's head.

It landed on the ground next to him.

Vlad had been too arrogant. Without confirming it, he had assumed that Amorpho had been knocked out. He had been too smug to think otherwise.

He had been too smug to think that he would still be conscious, just weak.

He hadn't thought that he could overhear Danny's plan while trying to gather his energy.

He couldn't possibly fathom that Amorpho could take the time to aim while he was distracted beating Danny.

And, of course, he was too sure of himself to think that anyone could get a shot precise enough to strike the Crown, knocking it off his head.

Floating behind Vlad, his overcoat tattered and hat missing, Amorpho looked as pleased as a ghost without a face could look. He lowered his cane, satisfied.

Vlad didn't have time to curse himself, because he felt very strange. Without warning, the red cracks on his face began growing bigger. Suddenly he dropped Danny and doubled over, screaming in pain. Red beams of light began radiating from his eyes and mouth before it engulfed his whole body.

Danny, despite being woozy, realized he really should put distance between himself and Vlad. Amorpho had realized that as well and the pair began flying away at top speed. Unfortunately, Danny couldn't fly fast enough in his current state.

Thus, when that red light caused Vlad to seemingly explode, he was caught in the back and flung to the ground.

Now weaker than ever, Danny looked up wearily at the area where Vlad had been previously.

For a moment, everything went black. Except for a sinister glow.

Two glowing eyes, and what appeared to be a clock underneath them. A clock with perfectly drawn Roman numerals and twisted hands.

Between the eyes and the clock, a set of white fangs appeared, twisted into a smile.

Then everything went dark.

* * *

A/N: I know what you're thinking: What just happened? All will be explained in the next chapter.


	20. Mysteries

A/N: I am so sorry this is so late. Just read it. Not all questions answered, read the sequel.

P.S. I'm retconning. Youngblood's eleven now. I never mentione his name in the story, and it was never mentioned in the series. Roll with it.

Disclaimer: Danny Phantom copyright Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon, Billionfold, and Viacom.

* * *

The first thing Vlad realized as he came to consciousness was a feeling of…emptiness, was the only way to describe it. It was a feeling that he had gotten in the early days of his powers when he was in ghost mode, but had since gotten used to to the point where he had stopped noticing it.

Giving a groan, Vlad opened his eyes and found…nothing. Twisting his head in all directions, he could see nothing but blackness in every direction. Instantly his normally composed attitude disappeared as he began to panic. He reached for the Crown. It was gone.

"What is the meaning of this? What's going on?" he demanded.

"You're dead," a blunt voice answered him.

Alarmed, he turned around, and panicked when he saw there was another figure with him. Or at least, he saw part of another figure. The dark cloak that covered a good deal of his body, as well as a hood that covered his face. But he saw the white bones that made up his hands, as well as the long scythe that the right hand gripped. It was a figure Vlad had read about in his studies, but prayed never to see.

Death. The Grim Reaper.

"Your body couldn't handle the sudden change in power," Death explained, not waiting for the former halfa to snap out of his shock. "And without the Gem to brace you, what power of the Crown that was left inside you ripped you apart. You're completely a ghost now."

"…W-what?" Vlad said, for once completely at lost for words.

"You're dead, must I repeat it? Now come on, time to go to Judgment."

"Actually, I'll be taking him," a new voice announced.

Death was surprised for the first time in a millennia. He turned. "Who dares…"

He stopped.

Had Danny been there, he would have recognized the figure Death saw…almost. The red eyes, and the twisted clock. The same figure seen at Vlad's death.

"You…" the reaper began, but a flash of red saw him knocked back, far past his intended target.

Vlad, already shocked by what was happening, looked at the figure with the utmost fear.

"You could be useful to me."

* * *

As Youngblood drifted back into consciousness, the first thing he felt was a severe pounding in his head. Giving a groan, he reached up and rubbed his head. As he did, he felt his green hair underneath his fingers and realized his glove was removed. As he flexed his other arm, he realized his hook had been replaced by his more natural prosthetic.

He opened his eyes and found he was no longer on the battlefield. He was in Danielle's room, in her bed. He sighed a breath of relief that his friend wasn't one of those girly girls. He didn't think he could handle waking up in some pink, lacy bed.

Scanning the room, he saw nothing. Finally, he looked to his side and saw his first sign of life in the room. Danielle was sitting in a chair beside her bed, her head buried in her hands, unmoving.

"Danni? Hey, Danni, what's going on?"

At hearing her friend's voice, the youngest halfa looked up. Youngblood was stunned by the fact that her eyes were red, she had been crying. "Hey, what's…"

He was cut off when Danielle jumped up and threw her arms around him, crying anew into his shoulder.

"Hey, what the…"

"I…I…I thought I was going to lose you," she sobbed, hugging him tighter.

Youngblood blinked. She was this worried?

As if she could read his mind, she continued. "Danny sent me and Sam into the Ghost Zone…when we got back, some of Frostbite's men were gathering up everyone who got injured. Everyone except Amorpho and that nerd were unconscious. Danny, Jazz, my parents…and you. I was afraid I was going to lose everyone."

For once, the pirate ghost was unsure of what to say. "Is everyone okay?"

Danielle broke the hug and looked at her friend. "Mom, Dad and Jazz came to. So has nearly everyone else…but Danny…he still hasn't woken up…he's been in one of those medical tubes since the fight."

"H-how long ago was that?"

"Nearly two days ago," Danielle said sadly. "They won't let us in the lab where he's being treated. I've been waiting here since then."

At that point the boy noticed that his friend's hair was mussed and there were bags under her eyes. She hadn't been sleeping.

"You were that worried about me?" the boy asked, stunned.

Danielle looked down, trying to find the right words. "You're my best friend. I mean, school's torturous with everyone staring at me, begging for my brother's autograph, and treating me like it's a big deal I'm breathing the same air as them. But you…no matter what, you treat me the same. You may be a little jerk, but I like you."

Danielle hugged her friend, and this time he hugged back.

For a few moments. "You've been sitting here since the fight ended?"

"Yeah."

"I can tell. You need a shower."

Danielle pulled back, glaring at him. "Why did you ruin a nice moment?"

"Why don't you shower better?"

"Me? You only bathe when you can't get away with not doing it!"

"I'm a guy. We're supposed to smell."

"No, you're not! You're such a disgusting pig!"

"Yeah, well you're a goody-goody pest!"

"Yeah, well you're a little jerk!"

"Yeah, well you're stupid!"

"You're stupid!"

"You're stupid!"

In the doorway of Danielle's room, Jazz stood smirking with Parrot on her shoulder. "Uh, it's only been two minutes and they're already at it," the skeleton bird moaned.

"I know, isn't love grand?" Jazz smirked.

* * *

Clockwork was preoccupied with setting the clock on his staff. Still, he noticed when the new figure entered his domain.

"Don't you ever knock?" the master of time said. "You're as bad as the Observants."

"How can you talk formalities at a time like this?" Death demanded. "Surely you've noticed what's happening!"

"You mean that he's loose? Yes." Clockwork said nonchalantly. "He was already here while I was in a meeting with the Observants. It seems he was interested in a certain piece of temporal abnormality I picked up a few months ago," he motioned toward the table that previously supported a dented thermos.

"Why didn't you prevent that? You should have known this was going to happen!"

"In case you've forgotten, he operates outside of time," he said, finally finishing adjusting his staff and turning toward his guest. "We can't predict what he's going to do."

Death shook his head. "Well, I suppose we knew this day would come. Do you think…"

"Yes. I knew for years that the boy was the one we were waiting for. The Observants are already making long term plans about this," he explained as his form shifted into that of a child.

"So what do we do in the meantime?" Death asked.

"For now, just watch…and wait. And if I were you, I'd get ready for a significant increase in work."

* * *

Danielle mumbled as she finally finished changing. Despite the fact that her friend had ruined what was supposed to be a touching moment, she couldn't deny the fact that she truly needed a shower.

Now dressed, she left the bathroom. She hadn't taken three steps before she heard her mother screaming from the first floor "Everyone! Danny's awake!"

That was all the incentive the young clone needed. She phased through the floor and into the kitchen, where her parents, Jazz, Sam, and Frostbite were already waiting.

"Is it true? He's okay?" the small girl asked, filled with joy.

Maddie responded by hugging her de facto daughter. "The doctors said he just woke up. As soon as he's dressed we can see him."

"Which is now," one of the yetis said, coming out of the lab. "You may see him…"

Neither Frostbite or his assistant had ever seen someone run by him so fast.

"…now," the doctor finished.

"Let them be," Frostbite ordered. "The Great One has earned a few moments alone with his family."

* * *

Danny still felt sore, but the prospect of seeing his family alive and well was enough to get him walking. As expected Danielle was the first one down, tackling him in a fierce hug. Normally he wouldn't mind his little sister being affectionate, but his sore body couldn't handle such aggressive touch.

"Ow! Ow! Danni, please, I'm happy to see you, but could you let go? I still hurt."

"Oh my gosh!" the girl said, letting go. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean…"

"It's alri-argh!"

Danny was cut off by Sam crashing into him, then his parents and Jazz. Unfortunately, they hugged harder than Danielle.

"Ow, Ow! Get off, get off, get off!" he pleaded, causing his loved ones to back off instantly and start apologizing so much that no one's words were understandable. "Okay, stop, stop, stop!" he said, and the group silenced themselves.

After taking a deep breath, the world's savior spoke again. "Alright, let's try this again, slowly," he said, turning to his little sister and stretching out his arms. Danielle gently went into her brother's embrace, hugging him back in relief that he was still alive. They were immediately joined by the others, each giving their own words of relief.

"Thank goodness you're okay," Sam whispered, kissing him on the cheek. "I was so worried."

"My boy, my baby boy," Maddie cried, fussing over him. "I thought I'd lost you."

"Danny, my boy, you pulled through. Tough as nails, just like your old man," his father gushed.

"Alright, alright, I'm fine, really," he assured as his family backed off. After collecting himself for a moment he spoke again. "So, is it true? Vlad's dead?"

"It's completely true," Jazz said. "A bunch of DGA agents scanned the battlefield. Enough of Vlad's body was found to confirm that he's dead."

"Yeah, so we don't have to worry about him anymore," Danielle pointed out.

Danny paused, then sighed. "I'm afraid it's not that simple, kid."

That confused everyone. "What are you talking about, Danny?" Sam demanded. "Maybe you don't understand. The evidence is absolutely certain. Vlad's dead…"

"So is Ember, and Youngblood, and Johnny, Kitty, Technus, Desiree…want me to go on? I can name more."

The group was silent once they realized what Danny's incredibly valid point was.

"Danny…can a halfa keep living after his human half gets destroyed?" his mother asked.

"I can't tell you," he answered honestly. "As far as I know, only four have ever existed. But we should assume he's still out there until we can make sure he's not still a ghost."

An uneasy silence fell over the lab. Danny, realizing he was destroying the good mood, quickly changed the subject. "Well at least everyone else is alright, right?"

"Um, actually, Danny…" Maddie began nervously.

Suddenly Danny felt nervous. It was then that he realized that his family and Sam were the only ones to greet him in the lab. "W-where's Tucker? Where's Valerie? Are they…"

"Don't worry, they're fine," Sam assured quickly. "Tucker just had to do some mayor stuff about Vlad's rampage, and Valerie's helping the DGA patrol the town, seems some ghosts are trying to take advantage of the fact that most of Team Phantom is out."

"Then…who…"

"Well," Maddie spoke again. "The Lunch Lady…Vlad vaporized her. She's gone."

Danny felt bad. He didn't know the Lunch Lady very well, but he didn't want anyone dead. "Anyone else?" he asked holding his breath.

"Well, when the Ops Center fell…Ember…she's alright, but," Maddie sighed. "She had a miscarriage as a result. Her baby…it's gone."

* * *

Ember lay on Jazz's bed, which the teen had thankfully let her use instead of the emergency beds in the Ops Center where she had been sleeping. She just sobbed into her pillow while holding another one like a teddy bear, truly surreal for anyone who knew her.

As indifferent as she had appeared, she had been looking forward to being a mother. The maternal instinct that was embedded in every sentient creature existed in her, and she had loved the creature growing inside her. It seemed that after all the suffering with Adam and her hated enemy foiling her plans, it seemed she would finally get some happiness.

And then, just like everything else that had given her hope, it had been taken from her, in the worst way possible. The Fentons had been supportive, consoling her and caring for her in her time of need, but it did little. She felt once again she had nothing.

"…Ember?" a voice sounded.

The ghostly siren slowly looked up, her emerald eyes sparkling with tears. Youngblood stood next to the bed, fidgeting nervously.

"Um, look…I'm not sure how to say this, but…I'm really sorry about that happened to your kid…I mean…"

The young boy was unable to finish his sentence, because at that point Ember grabbed him by his jacket and pulled him into a hug, using him to replace the pillow that had previously been used as a substitute teddy bear. While initially shocked, the pirate ghost eventually hugged her back.

For a long while, the two laid in silence, not sure of what to say. Finally, Youngblood broke the silence. "Why?"

Ember looked at the child, puzzled. "What are you talking about?"

"Why did you ditch me? During our plan to kidnap the adults, why'd you just teleport away and leave me alone when everything went wrong?"

The singer was caught off guard by the question, but nonetheless had an answer. "Listen, it might not seem like it, but it was for the best…"

"How? Leaving me to save yourself?" the boy accused, breaking away from the girl.

"No, it wasn't like that!" Ember protested.

"Then what? What was it?" he demanded, balling his remaining fist.

"I knew Phantom wouldn't hurt you!" the fiery woman yelled, causing her former partner to jump back. "Look, has Phantom ever hurt you? Sure, he's pushed you around a bit for show, but has he seriously hurt you?"

The pretend pirate tried to come up with an argument, but stopped. He realized she was right, his former enemy never really hurt him. Maybe he used a few scare tactics, but he always walked away from their battles relatively unhurt.

Seeing that he wasn't going to say anything, she continued. "Phantom's always been too much of a goody-goody to seriously hurt a kid, but I didn't have that luxury. I only left so that one of us could stay free to save the other."

Youngblood was now timid again. "Then…why didn't you?" he asked nervously, fidgeting.

"Because Phantom was like gum on my shoe, he was practically following me everywhere. Then when the Ghost King got loose, I knew you where safer in that shield until he was gone. But I always planned to come back for you. But when you got loose, you wouldn't even talk to me."

The eleven-year-old fidgeted some more, looking at the floor. "I-I'm sorry. I-shouldn't have…"

"Kid," Ember cut him off, "I didn't want to hurt you. I…I…" she stuttered, unsure of how to say what she meant. "I really care about you, okay?" she finally said, blushing a little.

Youngblood blushed as well. When he spoke, it was barely audible, but Ember heard it. "I…care about you too."

The rocker pulled him back into a hug. Neither said it, but both knew. At that point, a little brother and a big sister were reunited.

* * *

"After the long battle Vlad Masters, known better as the infamous Plasmius, was declared legally dead," the evening news anchorman droned. "However, there were losses on Phantom's side. The ghost identified as the Lunch Lady, one of the first ghosts employed on Earth, was destroyed in battle. Also, the unborn child of Ember McLain, revealed a few months ago to be a ghost, also suffered a miscarriage as a result of Plasmius's actions. McLain herself has been revealed to be in physically stable condition.

"Danny Phantom himself was seriously injured, but according to recent reports from Far Frozen doctors, he has recovered. It was of good fortune that Samantha Manson managed to pull him from the battlefield so soon after collapsing. According to a statement from her…"

The television never broadcast a message, because at that point its remote control flew into its screen.

With that, Paulina Sanchez screamed, and began demolishing her room.

For the last four months she had been forced to watch as the single hottest guy on Earth fawn over that goth freak Manson. It wasn't fair! She was the most beautiful girl she knew! Didn't the hero always end up with women like her? Wasn't that how it worked?

With no answer, she continued her tantrum. Eventually one of her thrown objects flew toward the ceiling, hitting the ceiling light and shattering it, plunging the room into darkness.

"Princess, are you okay?" her father called from downstairs.

She didn't answered, but stopped throwing things. She just stood there, clenching her fists."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," a new voice scared the Latina, "Such behavior is unbecoming of a lady of your position."

Paulina turned and nearly screamed when she realized another figure was in the room with her, large enough that it looked like it would dwarf her father. Try as she might, however, she couldn't make a sound.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here to give you something you want…the only thing you want…"

* * *

Youngblood stirred from sleep, memories coming back from the previous night. After comforting his big sister (not that he'd ever admit that he cared for her that way…at least, not yet) Maddie had been insistent he get some rest. To his chagrin, he ended up bunking with Danielle. Apparently they weren't old enough for the parents to worry about it.

Grumbling, he opened his eyes.

* * *

Danielle began to return to the world of the awake. As her memory returned, she remembered that she had been forced to share her room with Youngblood. Groaning at the thought, she opened her eyes.

* * *

The screams of two eleven-year-old ghosts rang through Fentonworks.

"Ew!" Danielle screeched, pointing an accusing finger at her bunkmate. "You were cuddling me!"

"Me? I was trying to sleep! You were the one doing that mushy stuff to me!"

"You are so vile!"

"And you're a…a…mushy…girl," the boy replied lamely.

"Oh, great comeback, smart one," the girl rolled her eyes.

Some light giggles stopped the verbal fight from going any farther. The two kids turned to see Tucker and Jazz standing in the doorway with smug smiles.

"Aw, looks like the lovebirds are up," Jazz said with a mock sweet tone.

"We're not lovebirds!" the two shouted vehemently.

This only increased Tucker's amusement. "Wow, they already have the vehement denial down. They _are_ moving fast."

"What are you talking about?" the youngest Fenton demanded.

"Well, your brother and Sam were exactly like this," the techno geek replied, causing the preteen's eyes to widen in horror.

Jazz clasped her hands together cutely. "Just think, soon one of them will fall for the other, but the other will be clueless, until eventually he starts to realize his or her feelings, and the next thing you know they're dating, flirting, kiss-"

* * *

"Did you hear that?" Death asked.

"The screams of horror from two eleven-year-old children? Nothing we need to worry about," Clockwork said nonchalantly.

* * *

The scream had woken Danny. After rushing to make sure everyone was alright, he came back to his room and began changing. Just when he was back in his trademark white shirt and blue jeans, there was a knock at his door.

"Come in," he muttered. The door didn't open. Rather, his girlfriend phased in and wordlessly wrapped her arms around him, pressing her lips onto his.

The halfa kissed back until she broke it. "Feeling better?" she whispered softly, stroking his cheek.

"Much," he answered with a wide grin.

"Nothing hurting?" she asked gently.

"None at all," he replied.

At that point, the gentleness stopped. "Not for long," the goth said before swiftly punching him on the cheek sending him to the ground.

"Ah, what was that for?" Danny demanded, rubbing his smarting cheek.

"For sending me to Ghost Zone when I should have been fighting Vlad!" she yelled, kicking him in the side with her combat boots when he tried to get up.

"Ah! Look, I just didn't want you getting hurt!" the teen begged as he finally got up.

"In case you've forgotten, I'm not some defenseless little girl!" Sam shouted, "I can take care of myself!"

"I know that!" the ghost boy said defensively, putting his hands up. "It's just that…"

"Just what? What is it?"

"…I couldn't stand the thought of losing you," he said finally. This caused Sam's expression to lighten slightly, which Danny took as a sign to continue. "Look, I know you can take care of yourself, but…I care about you too much to care. If anything happened to you…I don't think I could go on. It's just…"

Danny was cut off, but not by another kiss, brought on by a now more placid girl. After she broke the kiss, she spoke. "I know you're worried about me, I understand that. But I'm willing to risk anything for you. You shouldn't forget that."

"I won't," he whispered. Then, he decided to tempt her patience, "…Sammy."

To his surprise, Sam smiled…a devious smile. "I know you won't, Doodlebug."

Suddenly, Danny backed up, his pupils shrinking to the size of pencil points in sheer terror. "Wh-what'd you call me?"

The plant girl leaned in, her smile growing into a sinister grin. "Isn't it cute? Jazz said your mom called you that all the time when you were a kid, and it's so cute, I think I'll start using it."

"…H-huh?" was the only response.

"Yeah. In fact, I think I'll go down and announce it to the whole team right now," she daid, heading for the door.

"No, wait, Sammy…I mean Sam, Sam, wait…" the boy begged, rushing to his girlfriend and wrapping his arms around her to try and restrain her. This only caused her to laugh, so he played it up by lifting her up and playfully tackling her onto the bed. After pouncing on her, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a kiss.

And at that moment, at that location, everything was peaceful.

* * *

But somewhere, someone was watching.

"Enjoy the moment, Phantom. Because Vlad, Pariah, your evil self, they were mere worms. Soon, you will face me."

**Coming Soon:**

**Countdown**


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